Pope Francis on Wednesday
wrapped up his visit to Mexico by saying Mass at the fence
separating the Central American nation from the United States at
the border city of Ciudad Juarez.
The Mass, which could be followed from both countries, was
dedicated to the victims of violence including 43 students who
went missing in Iguala in 2014.
Formerly one of the world's deadliest cities, Ciudad Juarez
is located just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas - a
major migrant crossing from South to North.
The pontiff's trip focusing on the plight of migrants who
risk their lives to reach the United States occured as the
number of Central Americans apprehended at the border is on the
rise.
Before the border Mass, the pontiff met with 700 detainees
at the 3,600-inmate Cereso 3 prison, which holds many of
Mexico's most feared narcos hitmen.
He urged them to break the "vicious cycle of violence and
exclusion" by talking to their loved ones and rejecting the
deadly culture of drugs, greed and excess.
"Those who have suffered deeply and...have experienced hell
can become prophets in society," he said.
In a visit Tuesday to the violent state of Michoacan, the
pontiff spoke out against drug trafficking, saying resignation
to it was "among the devil's favorite weapons" and urging
Mexican youth to turn to Jesus in order to reject materialism
and stay out of the drug trade.
On Monday, the third day of his apostolic visit to Mexico,
the pope asked representatives of the indigenous peoples for
their forgiveness for what he called their "systematic"
exclusion from society and the exploitation of their lands in
the poor southern state of Chiapas.
He also endorsed the use of native languages in worship in
an effort to stem a tide of Protestant conversions in what is
now Mexico's least-Catholic region.
The pontiff is scheduled to fly out of Ciudad Juarez at
19:00 local time and is expected to arrive at Rome's Ciampino
Airport at 14:45 local time on Thursday.
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