On September 12, Pope Francis arrived in the Hungarian capital where the central event of the first stage of the Pope’s 34th Apostolic Journey was the Holy Mass in the Heroes’ Square in Budapest.
Before the service, the Holy Father was driven in a panoramic car along the sectors filled with pilgrims – in the square and the surrounding streets – greeting and blessing people. Among the various flags flown on the site were also Ukrainian, according to Vatican News.
The liturgy was attended by government officials and representatives of other denominations, in particular, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
The day before, the pontiff had a private meeting with Hungarian President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Hungarian bishops, as well as a separate meeting with representatives of other Christian denominations and Jewish communities.
Hungary became the 53rd country the Pope visited during his pontificate.
