Hundreds of thousands of young faithful feted Pope Leo XIV like a rock star Saturday at an open-air prayer vigil outside Rome, after the head of the Catholic Church made a dramatic entrance by helicopter.

Pilgrims began crying and cheering when the white military helicopter descended over the sprawling, open-air site in Rome's eastern outskirts;

Organisers said as more than 800,000 young pilgrims from 146 countries around the world had assembled there as part of a "Jubilee of Youth" -- and perhaps as many as a million.

Smiling broadly from his popemobile, the first American pope waved to throngs of young, screaming pilgrims lining his route, many of them running for a better vantage point.

They had already spent the day in the hot sun listening to music, praying and talking with fellow Catholics.

"The pope is here!" announced an excited voice over the public address, to thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd.

But the tenor of the event soon became more solemn and contemplative as the pope took to the stage, carrying a large wood cross.

"Dear young people, after walking, praying and sharing these days of grace of the Jubilee dedicated to you, we now gather together in the light of the advancing evening to keep vigil........

© Al Monitor