Pope's vigil in Portugal draws 1.5 million pilgrims

A sea of 1.5 million pilgrims packed a riverside park near Lisbon on Saturday for a vigil held by Pope Francis as part of a global Catholic youth festival. Earlier Saturday, Francis visited the shrine of Fatima, a revered site north of Lisbon devoted to the Virgin Mary, where he was welcomed by around 200,000 people.

In an address to the crowd, the pontiff reinforced calls made many times during his trip for an inclusive Church. The pope prayed in silence for several minutes before a statue of the Virgin Mary in the chapel. World Youth Day, created in 1986 by John Paul II, is the largest Catholic gathering in the world and features a wide range of events, including concerts and prayer sessions.