The ceremony took place in the central Eduardo VII park, where a gigantic altar presides over the “Hill of Meeting”, one of the scenes of the WYD program, according to the local press.

Young Catholics from all over the world took to the hill early in the morning, some long before the start of the ceremony led by the Supreme Pontiff who arrived here the day before.

The center of the city was closed to traffic, as well as several metro stations, while hundreds of buses transferred pilgrims to the vicinity of the park.

According to estimates, more than a million faithful will participate in the Day until its closing, next Sunday.

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