Francis, who has made outreach to Muslim communities a cornerstone of his papacy, wrapped up his historic three-day visit with the mass. The pope’s public comments in Abu Dhabi have centered on calls to end wars across the Middle East and protect the rights of all citizens. In a homily on Tuesday, he turned to the tens of thousands of migrant workers living in the Emirates. Parishes across the UAE said 135,000 tickets to the pope’s mass were distributed to parishioners. The UAE invited the pope to visit as part of its 2019 “Year of Tolerance” which has its own designated ministry.

Source: The Guardian February 05, 2019 10:07 UTC