Pope to defend migrants at Mexico-US border mass

Pope Francis will celebrate an unprecedented mass straddling both sides of the Mexico-US border on Wednesday to address the plight of migrants fleeing misery and crime in their homelands, reports AFP.
The 79-year-old pontiff wraps up an intense, five-day trip to Mexico with a visit to Ciudad Juarez, the world’s former murder capital, where he will pray with inmates at a prison and lead the service at the border.
After pressing Mexican politicians, religious leaders and society to fight for a nation without drug cartels, Francis will turn his attention to migrants, an issue dear to him, on his last day.
A huge stage was set near the border fence for a mass with more than 200,000 people.
Francis is expected to salute people watching on the other side of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The service will be also broadcast on a giant screen at a 51,000-capacity stadium in the US city.
The pope’s decision to make a plea for migrants across from the United States coincides with the US presidential election primaries, in which illegal immigration is a hot button issue.

Pope to defend migrants at Mexico-US border mass

Pope Francis will celebrate an unprecedented mass straddling both sides of the Mexico-US border on Wednesday to address the plight of migrants fleeing misery and crime in their homelands, reports AFP. The 79-year-old pontiff wraps up an intense, five-day trip to Mexico with a visit to Ciudad Juarez, the worlds former murder capital, where he will pray with inmates at a prison and lead the service at the border. After pressing Mexican politicians, religious leaders and society to fight for a nation without drug cartels, Francis will turn his attention to migrants, an issue dear to him, on his last day. A huge stage was set near the border fence for a mass with more than 200,000 people. Francis is expected to salute people watching on the other side of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The service will be also broadcast on a giant screen at a 51,000-capacity stadium in the US city. The popes decision to make a plea for migrants across from the United States coincides with the US presidential election primaries, in which illegal immigration is a hot button issue.