ARGENTINA: Argentines celebrate the upcoming inauguration of fellow Argentine Pope Francis, with evening vigil

Record ID: 447297

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentines celebrate the upcoming inauguration of fellow Argentine Pope Francis, with evening vigil
  • Date: 19th March 2013
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING BAND PLAYING ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 3rd April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA83VZA2O4NYZ385M0HJ8TVD3KP
  • Story Text: Merriment and celebration swept through Buenos Aires on Monday (March 18) as Argentines sang and danced their way to the cathedral just hours ahead of Pope Francis' inaugural mass.
    Some 2,000 descended on the cathedral for an evening vigil to honor Latin America's first pope, an Argentine formerly known as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.
    "I am Catholic and I am proud that the Pope is Argentine, the first Latin American pope. And the truth is that is is a proud moment for all the Catholic community, not just Argentina, but the world," said Argentine Catholic Jorge Diaz.
    The pope will celebrate his inaugural mass on Tuesday (March 19). Thousands more Argentines are expected at the cathedral to watch the event on giant screens set up in the area. Church bells are set to ring later in the morning to usher in the new papacy.
    But another Catholic, Juan Francisco Gorrasi, said that people need to remember their faith after the initial excitement has passed.
    "There is some very hard work that is falling to us. I hope that the Argentine people understand that and that we give the support that is needed. A pope standing alone, without a people behind him, is nothing," he said.
    Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to cram St. Peter's Square and and surrounding streets for the Mass on Tuesday to formally install Francis as the new leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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