Thousands of Catholics greet Pope Francis in Ecuador at start of South American trip 'home'
Thousands of Catholics greet Pope Francis in Ecuador at start of South American trip 'home'
Posted about 5 hours ago
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Photo: Pope Francis (L) is greeted by children as he is flanked by Ecuador's president Rafael Correa (R) after landing Ecuador.
(Reuters: Alessandro Bianchi)
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Thousands of jubilant people lined the streets of Quito as Pope Francis began his long-awaited South American trip that will also take him through Bolivia and Paraguay.
It is the first visit by a pontiff to Ecuador in three decades, and thousands of excited people massed in the capital and thronged the roadsides to greet him as he took his Pope-mobile into the city, waving and smiling to the crowds.
Some threw confetti and danced as he cruised past, others waved the flag of Argentina, the Pope's home country.
The 78-year-old pontiff had jetted in a short while earlier aboard an Alitalia passenger plane, in a sign of the austere simplicity he has sought to bring to his office.
More:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-06/thousands-greet-pope-at-start-of-south-american-trip/6597526
LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141137562
