Manama : His Holiness Pope Francis presided a Mass in Bahrain’s National Stadium on the third day of his 39th Apostolic journey abroad.
The Pope arrived in Bahrain on Thursday on a historic four-day official visit at the invitation of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
He was welcomed at the stadium by HM the King’s Representative His Highness Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister, head of the Honor Delegation Nawaf Al Muawda.
Heads of the churches in Bahrain and in the Arabian Gulf and around 28,000 people from more than 110 countries attended the mass that started at 8:30 am and lasted around 100 minutes.
People started arriving at the stadium shortly after midnight, eager for the historic mass, and afterwards cheered enthusiastically when the Pope greeted them from the popemobile.
Pope Francis in his homily thanked them for coming from different countries to the mass and for supporting love and peace.
Pope Francis said that Bahrain is a living image of coexistence in diversity, and indeed an image of our world, increasingly marked by the pluralism of ideas, customs and traditions.
The Pope thanked those present for building bridges with the Muslim world and showing fraternal closeness to all people of goodwill regardless of their cultural background and religious belief.
At the end of the Mass, the apostolic administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia Bishop Paul Hinder thanked HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Royal Family.
He also thanked the government led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and all those who have contributed to holding the Mass that was a rare opportunity for thousands of Christians to meet HH the Pope in Bahrain.
Bahrain is home to 19 officially registered churches. The first church in Bahrain and the Arabian Gulf was built in 1906 and the first Catholic church in 1939.
