'Catholic Woodstock' Kicks Off In Lisbon Ahead Of Pope Arrival

Lisbon, Aug 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Aug, 2023 ) :The world's largest Catholic event, a week-long religious festival known as World Youth Day, kicks off in Lisbon on Tuesday, a day before Pope Francis arrives on his first foreign trip since recent surgery.

Around 300,000 people are expected to attend the opening mass at 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) at the hillside Eduardo VII park, which offers sweeping views of the Portuguese capital and the Tagus river.

The 86-year-old pontiff is set to arrive in Lisbon on Wednesday morning to celebrate World Youth Day, a week of religious, cultural and festive events held about every three years in a different city.

He has a typically packed schedule for his five-day visit to Portugal, despite having spent nine nights in hospital after undergoing hernia surgery in June.

Francis, the first Latin American pope, is due to make 11 public pronouncements and hold numerous meetings, and on Saturday will visit the shrine of Fatima north of Lisbon.

Church organisers expect one million faithful will attend the event's closing mass held by the pope on Sunday at a waterside park on the outskirts of Lisbon.

World Youth Day, which has been dubbed the "Catholic Woodstock", is part of the Vatican's efforts to galvanise young Catholics at a time when secularism and disgust over clerical child sex abuse cause some faithful to abandon the Church.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said Monday that this is the "largest international event the country has ever organised, which will bring us youths from the entire world." In recent days groups of event volunteers, decked out in their distinctive yellow T-shirts, could be seen outside of churches in Lisbon to welcome pilgrims who have flocked to the city.

"It is a special moment that you should experience at least once in your life," said Samuel Navarro, a 19-year-old student from Spain.

"I can't wait to see people from around the world celebrate the faith and see to which point the Church is alive," said Paige Lipetska, a 26-year-old who came from the United States.