Vatican City, Nov 22, 2020 / 04:27 am
Pope Francis offered Mass for the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday, and afterward oversaw the traditional passing of the World Youth Day cross and Marian icon to a delegation from Portugal.
At the end of Mass in St. Peter's Basilica Nov. 22, the World Youth Day cross and icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani were handed over to a group of young people from Portugal by young people from Panama.
The event took place ahead of the 16th international World Youth Day, to be held in Lisbon, Portugal in August 2023. The last international youth gathering took place in Panama in January 2019.
"This is an important step in the pilgrimage that will lead us to Lisbon in 2023," Pope Francis said.