POPE-LATAM/BOLIVIA CROWDS From priests to left-wing activists, jubilant crowds greet Pope Francis in Bolivia

Record ID: 147665

  • Title: POPE-LATAM/BOLIVIA CROWDS From priests to left-wing activists, jubilant crowds greet Pope Francis in Bolivia
  • Date: 10th July 2015
  • Summary: SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA (JULY 9, 2015) (REUTERS FOR AGENCY POOL) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** NUNS AND PRIESTS CARRYING OUT MEXICAN WAVE IN AUDITORIUM NUNS SINGING AND HOLDING A CARDBOARD CUTOUT OF THE POPE NUNS SINGING POPE FRANCIS ARRIVING AT AUDITORIUM TO CHEERING CROWDS SMILING POPE WAVING AND GREETING CROWDS CROWD HOLDING UP LETTERS SPELLING: "WELCOME HOLY FAT
  • Embargoed: 25th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2EA50MUO5RH3LGH00T4DC6QQR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Cheering and waving, priests, monks and nuns cheered on Thursday (July 9) as their leader Pope Francis arrived to speak to them at an auditorium in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
    Groups of robed nuns and monks carried out a Mexican wave and chanted and sang as the Pope arrived.
    Many of the audience wore workman's hard hats and raised their fists in salute as the pope arrived to address the second world meeting of popular movements, an international body that brings together organisations of people on the margins of society, including the poor, the unemployed and peasants who have lost their land.
    Following a speech from leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales, who wore a jacket adorned with the face of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Pope and Morales both donned straw hats given to them by a young indigenous child.
    Then the pope addressed the meeting in one of the longest, most passionate and sweeping speeches of his pontificate. The Argentine-born pope urged the downtrodden to change the world economic order, denouncing a "new colonialism" by agencies that impose austerity programs and calling for the poor to have the "sacred rights" of labour, lodging and land. He also asked forgiveness for the sins committed by the Roman Catholic Church in its treatment of native Americans during what he called the "so-called conquest of America."
    After the almost hour-long speech the Pope gave his usual request of asking the participants to pray for him.
    "If some of you cannot pray, with all respect, I ask you to think well of me and send me good vibes" he said smiling as he said the colloquial Argentinian saying.
    Before leaving the meeting, Morales placed another hat on the pope's head, this time a yellow workman's hard hat.
    The pope made his speech at the end of his first full day in Bolivia, where he arrived on Wednesday (July 8). On Friday (July 10), he will walk into Bolivia's notoriously violent Palmasola prison.
    Francis leaves on Friday for Paraguay, the last stop on his "homecoming" trip.
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