Abu Dhabi, UAE (CNN) Pope Francis became the first pontiff to celebrate Mass in the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam, on Tuesday, delivering an address to tens of thousands of people in Abu Dhabi at the end of a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates. The ceremony took place inside and around Zayed Sports City stadium, where a large crucifix -- a rare sight in an Arab Gulf state -- loomed above the makeshift steeple. In his homily, the Pope praised the crowd as "a choir composed of numerous nations, languages and rites." "The Lord specializes in doing new things; he can even open paths in the desert," he added. Pope Francis leads mass for over 100,000 Catholics at an Abu Dhabi sports stadium.

Source: CNN February 05, 2019 07:30 UTC