Many of the pilgrims camped overnight at the air base After a scorching day, his speech was disrupted by a violent thunderstorm, which blew off his skullcap.
World Youth Day is a Catholic event which has drawn hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
Many of the young people camped at the Cuatro Vientos air base overnight, and many had waited for hours in the open air to see him for the prayer vigil on Saturday.
Madrid is in the middle of a heatwave and even though fire engines doused the crowds with water, hundreds of fainting pilgrims were treated by medics.
But the Pope's arrival coincided with a massive downpour and forced him to stop in the middle of a welcome address.
Sheltering under an umbrella, the 84-year-old commended the crowd for having faith "stronger than the rain".
There have been several protests against the cost of the Pope's four-day visit, which comes at a time of high unemployment and spending cuts.
The event's organisers say most costs will be met by the pilgrims themselves.
Protests have also been staged by gay men and lesbians against his visit and the Catholic Church's opposition to same-sex marriages.
The pontiff's four-day visit began on Thursday and his engagements have included celebrating Mass with thousands of future priests, meeting young nuns and taking part in a Way of the Cross procession.
He has also met King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia, and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero.
0 comments:
Post a Comment