Pope Francis visits Mexico: Monday's latest updates

On Monday, Pope Francis continued his journey through Mexico, a visit that seemingly has sent a jolt of excitement across the country from the moment his plane touched down in Mexico City last Friday night.

Up to 2 million people are expected to turn out to see the pope during his five-day trip to the world's second-largest Catholic country, with many traveling from across Central America and waiting for hours just to glimpse the leader of the Catholic Church.

On Monday the pope visited Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state on the border with Guatemala.

Thousands of people, including representatives of the indigenous communities of the state, gathered to celebrate a Mass at the municipal sports center in San Cristobal de las Casas. Throughout the crowd, many were openly crying while the pope spoke of how some of their groups had been marginalized by society and of the importance of living harmoniously with nature.

"Some have considered your values, culture and traditions to be inferior," the pope said. "Others, intoxicated by power, money and market trends, have stolen your lands or contaminated them. How sad this is! How worthwhile it would be for each of us to examine our conscience and learn to say, 'forgive me!', 'forgive me, brothers and sisters!' Today’s world, ravaged as it is by a throwaway culture, needs you!"

Even as the pope's visit prompted tears, the Mass in San Cristobal de las Casas had a festive air. Music from wooden xylophones and a mariachi band punctuated the celebration with jubilant sounds that echoed around the valley. Many in attendance chanted and waved handkerchiefs in the sky, against a splendid multicolored mountain backdrop.

"Long live Papa Francisco!" one man shouted toward the end. "Long live the pope of peace! Long live the pope of liberty!"

The pope later led a short prayer at the city's cathedral. He shook hands and accepted books and photos from the attendees, once stopping to spin the rotor on a child's toy helicopter.

He ended by asking the crowd to pray for him, too.

"You're not convinced, eh?" he quipped to laughter.

Later Monday afternoon, the pope also visited with families in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capital. Chiapas has been the main entry point for tens of thousands of families and unaccompanied minors fleeing violence and poverty in the Central American countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala in an attempt to reach the United States.

He would return to Mexico City on Monday night.

As expected, the pope already has spoken on a number of sensitive topics during his visit, including drug violence, immigration and problems within the Catholic Church.

Saturday, the pope began his first full day of activities with a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. Later that day, the pontiff celebrated Holy Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's beloved and deeply venerated patron saint.

During his speech to Mexican bishops at Mexico City’s cathedral, he offered off-the-cuff advice to address infighting and political jockeying among the group that governs the church in the country.

“If you have to fight, fight. If you have to tell each other off, say it," he told the bishops. "But do it as men, face to face. Just be sure to maintain the unity of the episcopate. But as men of God, pray together, and if you crossed the line, ask for forgiveness."

On Sunday, Pope Francis traveled by helicopter to Ecatepec, a densely populated, crime-ridden and impoverished suburb of Mexico City. During his homily, the pope denounced "the three temptations" of wealth, vanity and pride, and alluded to the drug lords that have controlled the city in recent years — but did not venture into Ecatepec's neighborhoods to see the conditions for himself.

He will conclude the visit Wednesday with a Mass in Juarez, Mexico, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Pope Francis' schedule on Monday, Feb. 15

Times listed are local, with Arizona time in parentheses. The places the pope will visit this week are on Central Time, except Juarez, which is on Mountain Time. ​

• 10:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m.) Mass at the city's sports center with the indigenous community from Chiapas. Homily by pope.
• 1 p.m. (12 p.m.) Lunch with representatives of the indigenous community and the papal entourage.
• 3 p.m. (2 p.m.) Visit to the cathedral of San Cristobal de Las Casas.
• 4:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m.) Meeting with families at the Victor Manuel Reyna Stadium at Tuxtla Gutierrez. Speech by pope.  

Republic reporters Rafael Carranza, Daniel González and Brenna Goth contributed to this article.