Pope Francis warmly welcomed in Rio de Janeiro ...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to take part in the XXVIII World Youth Day to be attended by an estimated two million young people.

This visit marks the first foreign journey of this Latin American Pontiff. Originally planned for his predecessor the See of Peter, Benedict XVI, Pope Francis has added his own touches to the trip, including a visit to the Marian Shrine of Aparecida.

Right now Pope Francis has reached the Guanabara Palace for the official Welcoming Ceremony where he is being received by the President of Brazil, Dilma Vand Rousseff Linhares, the Governor of Rio State, Sergio Cabral Filho, and the Mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes.

Pope Francis will then spend the night at the hillside residence of Sumaré, home to the Archbishop of Rio de Janerio, Monsignor Orani Tempesta.