Today, in Lisbon, Pope Francis participates in the World Youth Day, a major event within the Catholic Church. About one million pilgrims from all continents are expected to participate. On Wednesday, the Sovereign Pontiff, who is on a five-day trip to Portugal, met with victims of sexual abuse committed by clerics of the Catholic Church and spoke about the need for its purification. Nearly 5,000 minors have been abused in Portugal by Catholic clergy over the past seven decades. Pope Francis also made a plea for peace and specifically referred to the war in Ukraine.
