Catholics Around the World Pray for the Pope
Tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square Friday evening to pray for the Pope as the world watched and waited for the latest news on the pontiff’s condition.
The catholic tradition is the largest Christian faith in the world with over a billion adherents; there are only about a third that amount of Protestants in the world.
By Saturday morning, news of the Pontiff’s deteriorating health reach all parts of the world and Catholic faithful gathered for early morning mass across the continents.
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In St. Peter’s Square, the mood was “somber”, according to the New York Times, as some people cried and sang songs in the dim light. The majority, however, simply prayed silently for the man who served in the papacy for 26 years.
"Where else would you direct your eyes if you were paying tribune," said Frank Gesicki, a California schoolteacher to the NY Times. "I'm awed by the numbers of people here and how quiet it is."
