About thirty thousand people gathered at the Bahrain National Stadium, enthusiastically attending from early morning to participate in a Mass presided over by Pope Francis on the third day of his visit to the Gulf kingdom. The participants, mostly from Asian countries, filled the seats of the Bahrain National Stadium, the largest sports venue in the kingdom located in the Riffa area. Families with children, elderly individuals, and clergymen had registered weeks in advance to attend the Mass "For Justice and Peace," which began at 8:30 AM local time.
Philomena Abransh (46), an Indian residing in Bahrain and a volunteer in organizing the Mass, said, "We have been here since one o'clock past midnight; we haven't slept... We are very excited at the thought of meeting the pope." She added that "everyone wants to see the pope; he represents peace in the world, which is what we need at this moment."
The Mass today was the second meeting between Pope Francis and Catholic Christians, following an initial gathering on Friday evening at Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral, the largest Catholic church in the Gulf, where he was welcomed with applause and tears.
On the chairs in the stadium's courtyard and in its 25,000-seat stands, organizers placed plastic bags containing a cap with the visit's logo, a prayer book, and the papal flag among other items. Margaret Haida (63), a Christian from Bahrain, stated, "Hosting Pope Francis is the greatest event of this year." She added, "People usually go to Italy to see the pope, and they may not succeed. But I saw him in the church yesterday and will see him today. I consider myself lucky to have been able to hold his hand and receive his blessing yesterday."
During the Mass, the pope will deliver a speech in Spanish, marking his fifth talk since arriving in Bahrain. He entered the stadium in the papal vehicle used during his foreign visits. Since arriving in Bahrain, the 85-year-old pope has used a wheelchair and a cane to move around due to chronic knee pain that has recently hindered his mobility.
Bahrain, with a population of 1.4 million, is a country that respects freedom of worship and established diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 2000. It is home to about eighty thousand Catholic Christians, primarily consisting of workers from India and the Philippines.
