Did you know that Pope Francis once visited our country? This happened in 2016 , when Enrique Peña Nieto was the president in office . It was the first time the Pope was in Mexico, and he spent six days visiting several states.
From February 12 to 17, 2016, the Vatican’s highest authority participated in several symbolic events in our country, with the purpose of sending messages of faith , hope, and social justice.
On the first day, he arrived at the Presidential Hangar at Mexico City International Airport (AICM), where he was greeted by former President Peña Nieto and his then-wife, Angélica Rivera.
According to data from the Ministry of Public Security (SSP), approximately 300,000 people took to the streets of the capital city to see Pope Francis pass by.
In a gesture of empathy and warmth, the Pope donned a mariachi hat, creating a festive atmosphere filled with cheers and applause.
On February 13, he attended a welcome ceremony organized by the National Palace, and later led a mass at the Basilica of Guadalupe , in the Gustavo A. Madero Mayor’s Office.
Which states did Pope Francis visit?
In addition to Mexico City, Pope Francis celebrated a Mass on February 14 in Ecatepec, a municipality in the State of Mexico , where he called on young people to resist the temptations of materialism and corruption before hundreds of people. He also called for combating the inequality and violence that plague communities.
On February 15, the Supreme Pontiff visited San Cristobal de las Casas in the state of Chiapas . There, he celebrated Mass with indigenous communities and delivered a decree authorizing the use of indigenous languages in the liturgy. At the same event, he received a Bible translated into indigenous languages by Jesuit missionaries from Bachajón and witnessed a ritual dance performed by faithful dressed in traditional attire.
By February 16, he was in Morelia, Michoacán , where he met with priests , religious, and seminarians. Pope Francis gave a speech in which he encouraged them not to give up in the face of the challenges facing the Church in Mexico, amidst a context of violence and poverty.
Finally, on February 17, the Pontiff concluded his visit at the Mexico-United States border in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua , where he celebrated Mass, called for justice for migrants , and denounced the conditions of violence and exploitation they face.
