- Title: POPE-LATAM/PARAGUAY-HOSPITAL Pope Francis visits children's hospital
- Date: 11th July 2015
- Summary: CHILDREN SINGING
- Embargoed: 26th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Paraguay
- Country: Paraguay
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA109DOHBMO0THUHGBVWFDWB5EG
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Pope Francis began his weekend activities in Paraguay with a visit to the Ninos de Acosta Nu children's hospital on Saturday (July 11).
Cheering young people and Catholic faithful lined the streets to welcome Latin America's first pope.
Thousands waved posters and flags as the energetic crowd stood in the streets of the Paraguayan capital in the early morning to get a glimpse of the pope as he drove past.
"I'm happy, happy. I'm very moved," said one teenager, Andrea.
Children sang and the crowd lit up with electricity as the papal envoy drove past them and into the hospital grounds.
"Yes, we saw him go by but it was very fast. He went by very fast. I am super-emotional. I feel blessed," said Paulina.
The Argentine-born pope was accompanied by the Paraguayan Health Minister Dr. Antonio Barrios and Hospital Director Dr. Pio Alfieri.
According to the Catholic news agency, the Pope told the children that Jesus wanted to be friends with children and that adults must learn from their "trust, joy and tenderness" and, especially, from the strength of many of them, who he called "young warriors."
Later in the day, the pope is scheduled to say an open-air mass at the Shrine of Caacupe, where the faithful believe a 16th century statue of "Our Lady of the Miracles" was miraculously saved from a great flood and, through its intercession, ascribe miracles to it.
Paraguay is the pope's third and last stop in a three-country eight-day tour which has seen him visit three of South America's poorest countries.
Millions have attended the pope's masses in Ecuador and Bolivia. He will hold mass on Sunday (July 12) before returning to the Vatican.
Throughout his visit, the pope has held private meetings with the countries' presidents while stressing human rights, an end to violence and economic development which aids the poorest, most vulnerable and helpless. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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