- Title: PORTUGAL: POPE JOHN PAUL II VISITS PORTUGAL
- Date: 11th May 1991
- Summary: REUTERS ANGARA DO HEROISMO AND PONTA DELGADA, AZORES, PORTUGAL (MAY 11, 1991) ANGRA DO HEROISMO LV POPE ARRIVING TO CELEBRATE MASS GV CROWD APPLAUDING AND SINGING. LV POPE ADDRESSING CROWD (PORTUGUESE) PONTA DELGADA LV POPE ARRIVING FOR RALLY LV & GV POPE MINGLING WITH CROWD GV NUNS GATHERED NEAR STATUE OF HOLY CHRIST OF MIRACLES, PATRON OF ISLAN Script is copyri
- Embargoed: 26th May 1991 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Portugal, Portugal
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Religion
- Reuters ID: LVAC1S7R18RGIOKPC53UXYMA32IF
- Story Text: ANGRA DO HEROISMO AND PONTA DELGADA, AZORES, PORTUGAL
Pope John Paul urged mankind on Saturday (May 11) to unite in the Christian faith to fight injustice.
Jesus Christ would not intervene directly to improve man's lot on earth, but belief in him would enable mankind to unite in the struggle for a better life, he told an open air mass for several thousand people on the island of Terceira.
The Pope flew to the lush green Azores islands, 900 miles west of Lisbon, on the second day of a visit to Portugal which culminated in a pilgrimage to the national shrine of Fatima.
A carpet of bright yellow and pink blossoms and green leaves decorated long stretches of the road taken by his motorcade through rolling hills from Terceira airport to Angra do Heroismo, the island's main town.
Freshly whitewashed houses were decked with carnival flags. Villagers hung colourful blankets from their windows and balconies to add to the festive atmosphere.
But the sky was overcast and most of the island's 80,000 people appeared to have stayed at home to follow the Pope's progress on television.
He flew later to Sao Miguel, largest of the nine volcanic islands in the Azores archipelago, for an open air rally in the capital, Ponta Delgada.
On arrival in Ponta Delgada the Pope delighted by the enthusiasm of his reception, stepped out of his bullet-proof vehicle at the rally site and plunged into the crowd, taking his bodyguards by surprise.
Wellwishers surged forward and he ignored dignitaries waiting to greet him for several minutes to allow his audience to touch him and shake his hand.
Papal walkabouts have become rare since the Pontiff was shot and wounded by a Turkish gunman in Rome in 1981 and attacked by a knife-wielding Spanish priest at Fatima in Portugal a year later.
<strong>Source: REUTERS - PINTO 1" VIDEOTAPE</strong> - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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