The Pontiff yesterday addressed millions of worshippers attending the Catholic World Youth Day in Brazil.

Pope Francis yesterday, July 28, 2013 concluded his weeklong trip to Brazil – the world's most populous Catholic country - with a mass at Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro attended by three million worshippers.

BBC reported that the Pontiff earlier on Saturday, July 27, 2013 addressed a night vigil at the beach attended by pilgrims to the biggest ever Catholic World Youth Day. It was the third successive night that the charismatic Pontiff drew huge crowds at the site. Vatican spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said two million people attended the vigil. In his address, the Pope urged pilgrims not to be part-time Christians, but to lead full, meaningful lives.

Pope Francis referred to the street protests which have been taking place in Brazil for over a month, saying the young street demonstrators were actors of change. The Argentine Pontiff, 76, renewed his call for priests to go out of their cloistered parishes and bring the message of the Gospel to the world's slums. He also urged young pilgrims from all over the world to overcome apathy and offer a Christian response to the social and political concerns in different parts of the world.

Addressing civil leaders and government officials at Rio's Municipal Theatre on Saturday, he urged city leaders to remember society's least fortunate. He said between selfish indifference and violent protests, there was always another possible option of dialogue; in apparent reference to demonstrations that have been rocking the country since June. He said a country grows when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich cultural components.  

The Associated Press news agency reported that Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach wore a different look on Saturday with the white sands jammed full of people carrying Bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, instead of beach balls and bikinis.