TORONTO (voa) – Pope John Paul plans to spend Friday resting after addressing hundreds of thousands of young Catholic pilgrims Thursday in Toronto, Canada for the World Youth Day celebration.
The pontiff told the cheering pilgrims he traveled from afar to be with them. Earlier, the pope traveled through the massive crowd in his so-called Popemobile, surrounded by heavy security, in his first official appearance at the 10-day festival.
Pope John Paul arrived in Canada on Tuesday and spent two days of rest on Strawberry Island, north of Toronto. He also plans to spend Friday at the island.
On Wednesday, he took a boat tour around the island retreat, and met there with disabled youngsters.
Church officials say that in spite of his frail health, the 82-year-old pontiff is eager to meet and pray with the world’s Catholic youth.
The pope is expected to lead a prayer vigil Saturday evening and conclude his visit to Canada with a papal mass in Toronto on Sunday.
Young Catholics from more than 170 countries have registered for World Youth Day.
Pope John Paul’s tour will also take him to Guatemala and Mexico, where he will preside at ceremonies canonizing new saints of the Roman Catholic Church.
The pope has been increasingly frail in recent years suffering from arthritis and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, raising concern over the effects the tiring trips could have on his health.
