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Pope Francis became the first pontiff to set foot in the Arabian Peninsula this week, delivering mass to more than 140,000 faithful from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium.
Emirati leaders praised the pope ahead of his hour-and-a-half long mass, which was delivered in a combination of Arabic, English and Latin.
The pope on Monday took part in a multi-religious conference sponsored by the UAE-based Muslim Council of Elders, an organization aimed at promoting a moderate brand of Islam to counter religious extremism, reported CNBC
This Visit to the United Arab Emirates belongs to the "surprises" of God. So let us praise Him and His providence, and pray that the seeds sown may bring forth fruits of peace. #ApostolicJourney #UAE
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) February 6, 2019
Pope Francis hugs Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, after an Interreligious meeting at the Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 4, 2019. Pope Francis has asserted in the first-ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula that religious leaders have a duty to reject all war and commit themselves to dialogue. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)