Around 180,000 attend historic Papal Mass in Abu Dhabi

More than100,000 people were also outside the stadium and watched the Mass on a giant screen.

It was a moment of joy and celebration as well as veneration and contemplation as Pope Francis arrived at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday morning to officiate the first-ever papal Mass in the Arabian Peninsula.
Chants of "Pope Francis!" and  "Viva El Papa!" reverberated inside and outside the stadium hours before Pope Francis arrived at the stadium at 10am aboard the pope mobile, a specially-designed vehicle flown in from the Vatican to the UAE for the Pontiff's historic three-day visit.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Tolerance, was among the crowd.

Photo: People are waving the yellow and white Vatican flag, waiting for the service to begin. Over 100,0000 people have come together to attend the historic #papalmass by #PopeFrancis. (Photo by Ryan Lim/KT)
Live updates - https://t.co/LAbTbQMezr #PopeFrancisInUAE | @Pontifex pic.twitter.com/VSf3SNlUSd
- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 5, 2019

The weather was cool and sunny with the temperature hovering around 24 degrees Centigrade at midday. The mood was electrifying and people were lively despite many of them having only an hour or so of sleep.
According to authorities, close to 180,000 people of all ages from all over the UAE and neighbouring countries witnessed the Mass. Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said the estimate was based on the 135,000 tickets issued by the local organisers as well as the throngs of people who went out on the streets to catch a glimpse of the pope as he traveled on his popemobile. The figures did not include people who went to their local parishes to hear the Mass streamed live.

#BLOG: #KhaleejTimes at Zayed Sports City Stadium as #PopeFrancis arrived on the popemobile prior to #papalmass. Follow our #live updates - https://t.co/LAbTbQMezr (Kelly Clarke/KT)#PopeFrancisInUAE | #papalmass | @Pontifex | #PopeFrancis pic.twitter.com/v9qbqj9isv
- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 5, 2019

The stadium, with an estimated 40,000-seating capacity, opened its doors before 5am. Entry to the stadium was orderly, made possible by the thousands of volunteers who came to the venue the night before. More than100,000 people were also outside the stadium and watched the Mass on a giant screen - they were as jubilant as those  inside.
It was also a celebration of Christian faith, perhaps, best exemplified by a little girl who jumped over the barriers and ran towards the pope mobile.
According to WAM, Pope Francis ordered the vehicle to stop "so that the young child can deliver what appeared to be a letter or drawing to the Head of the Catholic Church."

#PopeFrancisInUAE: This little girl could not hold back her tears when #PopeFrancis blessed her on his visit to #UAE. We would like to get in touch with the girl and her family. Can any of our readers help us identify her? - https://t.co/LAbTbQMezr

(Vatican Photographers Pic) pic.twitter.com/4PxZDf7N4t
- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) February 5, 2019

The stage built for the Mass was simple and devoid of a large number of religious symbols at the altar - reflecting the life championed by Pope Francis, who took his papal name after Saint Francis, who abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to God.
The papal Mass was also a showcase of peace and tolerance. As Christians heard the Mass, Muslims expats served as volunteers. Mohammad, and Egyptian expat, and Omar from Syria arrived at 8pm on Monday night. They said they were able to get only a short nap but they were up and about to serve as volunteers for the papal Mass.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi

Angel Tesorero

• angel@khaleejtimes.com