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Pope Francis celebrates Mass, blasts drug violence and tells bishops 'tell each other off' during Mexico trip

As pope speaks to politicians, bishops and the faithful, he has pointed words in store on issues facing Mexico

Rafael Carranza, and Daniel González
The Arizona Republic
Pope Francis goes by hundreds of thousands of people en route to the basilica in Mexico City, Mexico, Feb. 13, 2016.

MEXICO CITY — After a morning spent in a series of meetings with political and church leaders, Pope Francis moved to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There, he celebrated a historic Mass as the first Latin American pope.

The pope was welcomed by Mexico this week for a visit in which he'll traverse the country, visiting several states and discussing issues of faith, poverty and other social and political issues.

For live updates on the events inside and outside the basilica, follow our team here.

(Below that, see more about the pope's surprising morning comments — including his remarks to Mexican politicians about how society can become "a fertile soil for corruption," his criticism of the drug trade and his suggestion that bishops "tell each other off" if they have to.)

6:31 p.m.: A brush with Francis himself

After leaving the Basilica, Pope Francis passes by while waving to crowds outside. He's riding in a small, enclosed car, not the popemobile from earlier in the day. Nonetheless, the remaining crowd screams and cheers.

On the side of the street, Bishop Bryan Bayda, 54, opens his cell phone to show some pictures. There is is at the Vatican shaking hands with Pope Francis. Bayda has shaken hands with the pope seven times, he says — six with Pope Francis and once with Pope Benedict — as a bishop in the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

He wanted to be here, in Mexico City, to witness the pope pass by.

"I like the excitement of the people," he says, "as he jockeys for a spot along the route.

5:50 p.m.: Day turns to night

With the Mass ended inside, it's dark outside. The street lights along the routes leading to the basilica all pop on, eliciting a loud "Oooooo" from the thousands of people lining the road. Pope Francis will pass by after leaving the basilica.

(Follow @azdangonzalez for updates from Mexico City.)

5:55 p.m.: Gasps as pope falls on a chair

Pope Francis prays before the image of Our Lady of Gudalupe.

Following Mass at the basilica, Pope Francis spent a few minutes praying privately before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As he was about the place a bouquet of yellow flowers before her image, the pontiff stumbled and fell upon a chair that had been set aside for him to sit in, as people in attendance audibly gasped. Another priest caught him and he was able to stand up again and place the flowers. He then sat down in the chair and began his prayers.

5:35 p.m.: Holy Mass at the basilica has ended

Image of the crown that will be placed atop the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the basilica in Mexico City.

Near the end of the Mass, Mexico City’s archbishop thanked Pope Francis for his visit to the basilica. Though the pope couldn't hear them, the people watching outside on the applauded at the line.

Immediately after, the pontiff blessed a crown — his gift to the basilica. It will be placed atop the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a symbol of his devotion to her.

5:26 p.m.: Watching Pope Francis from outside

A few blocks from the basilica, the pope's Mass is being shown on a giant screen. Several hundred people have gathered on the street and are watching quietly.

Pope Francis has an unmistakable voice, soothing and wise. Many worshipers have bowed their heads in prayer, eyes closed, hands clasped, their knees on the bare pavement of the street.

Jose Carlos Garduno, 19, is selling candles with the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe for 35 pesos each. He has only sold 10 all day.

"We thought we were going to sell 300 more or less," he said, "but it's been very slow."

(Follow @DavidWallce for updates from Mexico City.)

5:10 p.m.: Nod to families affected by violence

ICYMI: During his homily, Pope Francis referenced the families affected by on-going violence in Mexico. He spoke about how, through the apparition of the Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531, God awakened hope among people even today, including “the suffering but resilient hearts of so many mothers, fathers, grandparents who have seen their children leaving, becoming lost or even being taken by criminals.”

The pope may have more words for families affected by violence during his stop in Juarez on Wednesday. Organizers confirmed that 1200 tickets to the Mass near the border there have been set aside for victims’ families, including parents of the 43 college students missing and presumed dead in Guerrero state.

4:40 p.m.: Pope's Homily centers on Virgin Mary 

Pope Francis delivers his homily at the Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Pope Francis begins his homily, which is centered on the willingness of the Virgin Mary to “give the best of herself” to others.

He uses the story of her apparition to Juan Diego, an indigenous man, to highlight her role in evangelizing the Americas and bringing dignity and self-worth to individuals like Juan Diego then and now.

He also calls for inclusiveness, specifically reaching out to young people “exposed to endless pain and risky situations," and the elderly “who are unacknowledged, forgotten and out of sight.”

4:25 p.m.: Joy outside

Outside the church, Jacoba Luisa Hernandez Vega,65, leans forward and tenderly kisses a color photo of Pope Francis.

She is sitting on a stool with her granddaughter's arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind.

Jacoba Luisa Hernandez Vega, 65, outside the Mass led by Pope Francis.

When the pope drove by, she was overcome with emotion.

"I cried and cried and cried," she said. "Out of joy. Mostly out of joy."

She has had two heart attacks, her legs hurt and she doesn't have strength anymore to walk very far, she says.

"I asked the pope for my health," she said. "And also that he forgive all my mistakes."

With Mass underway inside, many of the thousands of people who lined the pope's route to the basilica have left. But there are still many hundreds left. They are sitting and standing listening to the loudspeakers, and waiting to see if the pope will pass by again.

4:05 p.m.: Pope is in the building

The Holy Mass at the Basilica of Guadalupe is officially underway with Pope Francis co-celebrating, along with all the Mexican bishops he met with earlier on Saturday. Prior to the ceremony, the pope drove around the basilica's plaza to greet cheering crowds on board his popemobile. He spent a few minutes in a nearby temple, the former basilica, before walking out in procession into the plaza wearing a simple white chausible (robe) and miter (hat).

The Mass is expected to last approximately two hours. One quick observation: The pope's voice sounds noticeably more tired than it did during the first two events with elected leaders and bishops.

 

3:56 p.m.: Popemobile races past

Pope Francis just sped by along the road toward the basilica, standing inside Jeep Wrangler converted into a popemobile. He waved to thousands and thousands of people waved Vatican flags and screaming at the top of their lungs. Leading the way were dozens of police in vehicles and on motorcycles followed more police all heavily armed. Many in the crowd began running alongside as the pope traveled up a slight hill toward the entrance of the basilica.

2:53 p.m.: Waiting in the sun

Since before dawn, crowds of faithful have been lining the route into the square outside Mexico City's Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Now, they're waiting through the afternoon for Saturday's Mass to begin.

Alma Socorro Eslava, 45, shielded her face from the sun with a Vatican flag she bought from a vendor.

The crowd around here seems subdued from standing in the heat for so many hours.

"I want to see the pope because he is a very important person in our faith," she says, standing a couple blocks from the entrance to the Basilica, with her 66-year-old mother, Gloria Leon.

Six years ago Eslava lost her job as an administrator at a light company. She hasn't worked since.

"That is another reason I am here," she says.

Her mother is sick with diabetes and had to turn down an invitation from the priest at her church to hear Francis say Mass inside the Basilica.

"I want to ask Pope Francis for health," she says, sitting on a stool, an umbrella hat on her head.

Pope Francis waves to a crowd that waited hours in Mexico City, Mexico.

Earlier: Pope's surprising speeches

Pope Francis called on Mexico’s elected leaders to provide basic rights to their citizens, and called out individualism, describing it as the root of some of the country’s most pressing challenges, such as corruption and ongoing drug violence.

Flanked by Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto, the pope addressed congressmen and women, governors and the civil and diplomatic corps in the first of three major events on Saturday, the second day of his visit to Mexico.

In his introduction, the president welcomed the pontiff and said his visit meant a lot to the people. He also listed off the challenges the country faced — but notably, made no mention of the violence and drug trafficking that has ravaged the country.

That wasn’t the case for Francis. During his speech, he pleaded with leaders to shun individualism and work towards the “common good."

“Each time we seek the path of privileges and benefits for the few to the detriment of the good of all, sooner or later the life of society becomes a fertile soil for corruption, drug trade, exclusion of different cultures, violence and also human trafficking, kidnapping and death, bringing suffering and slowing down development,” he said.

The pope, referring to himself as a “missionary of mercy and peace,” also called on elected leaders to guarantee access to basic necessities for all citizens, such as affordable housing, dignified jobs, food security and safety.

After his speech ended, Francis boarded his popemobile and weaved his way through crowds at the Zocalo, the city’ main square, toward the Metropolitan Cathedral to meet with Mexican bishops. There, he offered the first big surprise of his visit.

Pope to bishops: Fight like men

Pope Francis offered a very public rebuke of infighting among bishops, and urged them not to ignore but rather tackle head on the problems surrounding drug trafficking in Mexico.

His speech to Mexican bishops gathered at Mexico City’s cathedral clocked in at more than 45 minutes and addressed a number of topics, but focused greatly on the responsibility of bishops to tend to society and its most pressing challenges.

The highlight though was when halfway through his speech he went off script for the first time and offered some unexpected advice for the clergy, to address infighting among the bishop’s body.

“If you have to fight, fight. If you have to tell each other off, say them. But as men, face to face,” he instructed. “But as men of God, pray together … and if you crossed the line, ask for forgiveness. But be sure to maintain the unity of the episcopate.”

Off-the-cuff remarks like this one have become somewhat of a hallmark for the pope, and will likely make headlines in Catholic circles.

Earlier in his speech, Pope Francis expressed his concern for drug-related violence in Mexico and urged bishops “not to underestimate the moral and antisocial challenge which the drug trade represents for Mexican society."

The pope also referenced immigration for the first time in his visit, noting the millions of people who have left Mexico in search of better opportunities in the United States and abroad.

“Many of them have left behind their roots in order to brave the future, even in clandestine conditions which involve many risks,” he said. “So many families are separated, and integration into a supposedly ‘promised land’ is not always as easy as some believe."

He asked the Mexican bishops to work more closely with bishops it the United States to ease that transition for migrants.

One topic he did not address in his speech was the issue of abuse at the hands of priests. The issue is particularly sensitive in Mexico because of a perceived cover-up from high ranks within the church in the case of Maciel Macias, the disgraced founder of a popular religious order that faced widespread allegations of sexual abuse.

The pope's day will conclude with a hallmark Mass at one of the Catholic world's largest pilgrimage sites.

Crowds in Mexico City to see pope

Though the pope wouldn't arrive at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for hours, already thousands of people lined the main road leading into the basilica's grounds on Saturday morning. Some had been there since 5 a.m. or earlier.

In his controversial remarks today, the pope seemed to be tapping into the frustration many Mexicans have expressed here over the past two days with pervasive government corruption and the inability of the government to bring years of drag cartel violence and crime under control. Over and over Mexicans have said they are desperately praying that the pope's visit will bring peace to Mexico by raising the spiritual conscience of government leaders and those involved in crime and the drug trade.

One man who arrived before dawn described how daily tasks others take for granted are frightening.

"Leaving your house to go to work is an adventure," said Raybel Paredes, 35, a chauffeur. "You don't know if you are going to make it back alive."

Rocio Estrada (from right) her husband, Raybel Paredes, and mother, Elsa Vera, all of Ecatepec, Mexico, wait to see Pope Francis, Feb. 13, 2016.

He lives in Ecatepec, the same densely populated working class suburb where the pope will say a Mass in Sunday.

Paredes said kidnappings, murders, extortions robberies and assaults are some common most people do not leave their homes after dark.

As police officers strolled by and soldiers stood guard, the pilgrims sat on stools or stood beneath under umbrellas offering protection from the increasingly hot sun. The atmosphere was increasingly festive and generous.

One woman offered pieces of bread from a bag and spoon full of homemade potato salad with peas.

When a reporter declined her offer she said, "You won't accept food from the poor?"

Reporters with television crews combed the crowds, spurring people to break out singing, "Se ve. Se siente. Papa esta presente."

Translation: He is seen. He is felt. The pope has arrived.

In the crowd are people from all over Mexico as well as many Latinos who traveled here from the United States.

One camera crew from Chicago came prepared with a sign: "Usted es de Chicago?"

Pope's message for Mexico

During his speeches, the pope has constantly highlighted the role of elected leaders and bureaucrats to work toward improving the lives of their citizens, especially the poor and marginalized. That issue will also come up during some of the five Masses that Pope Francis will lead in Mexico.

The pope is expected to talk about the pastoral needs of the church; more specifically, his desire to see bishops out in the streets and among the people.

At 4 p.m., Arizona time, the pontiff will celebrate Holy Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's beloved and deeply venerated patron saint.

This will be the pope's first time ever at the Basilica.  In the past he had spoke of his great desire to visit. The Mass is expected to last about two and a half hours and could draw as many as 2 million people, according to organizers.

During the ceremony, the pope will bless the crown that sits atop the tilma, or cloth, at the altar of the basilica as a symbol of veneration.

Tradition states that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe ended up on that same tilma, dating back to the 16th century, when the local bishop demanded proof from an indigenous convert who claimed he had seen the apparition of the Virgin Mary, but with dark skin and dressed in traditional Aztec attire.

Worshipers and onlookers are expected to line the route, including the area near the basilica, to catch a glimpse of the pope as he travels. After the Mass, he will once again travel back to the Nunciature to settle in for the night.

The day before, late Friday evening, the Pope landed in Mexico City after a four-hour layover in Havana, Cuba, for a historic meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the second largest Christian body after the Catholic Church itself.

The two leaders embraced among smiles and met privately for about two hours, the first such meeting between representatives of the two confessions in nearly one thousand years. Afterward they signed a joint declaration which calls for greater unity between the two churches, eventually leading to full reconciliation.

A prediction: Pope Francis will do something unpredictable during his visit to Mexico

Pope Francis' Saturday schedule

8:30 a.m.    Courtesy visit with the President of the Republic at the National Palace   
9:15 a.m:    Meeting with authorities, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps
10:30 a.m.:  Meeting with the Bishops of Mexico gathered in the Cathedral
4:00 p.m.:    Holy Mass in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Source: Vatican City (hours are in MST)