YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Pope Francis delivered a mass in the Zayed Sports City Stadium of Abu Dhabi on February 5. This was the first papal Mass in the Arabian Peninsula, Associated Press reported.

It was considered to be the largest display of public worship by Christians on the peninsula, the birthplace of Islam. 

Cheers erupted inside and outside the stadium when Francis arrived and looped through the crowd in his open-sided pope mobile, with chants of “Viva il Papa” and “We love you!” Yellow and white Vatican flags decorated the stadium, and smaller versions were handed out to worshippers inside.

Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said about 180,000 people attended, with 135,000 tickets distributed for spots inside and outside the stadium to throngs eager for a glimpse of the pope.