Pope Francis welcomed the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas.
The meeting took place three months before the start of World Youth Day in Portugal. It will be the Catholic Church’s first international, large-scale event since the pandemic, bringing together people from 120 countries.
The last World Youth Day was on January 27, 2019 in Panama. Since then, it has not been possible to organize the event due to pandemic restrictions.
World Youth Day will be held in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, from August 1 to 6. The motto chosen for the occasion is “Mary arose and departed without delay,” a quote referring to Mary’s visit to her cousin St. Elizabeth.