Pope Francis arrives in Portugal to preside over global youth event

LISBON (Reuters) – Pope Francis arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday to start a five-day visit centred around the World Youth Day, a global gathering of young Catholics.

The ITA Airways plane carrying the pontiff, his entourage and reporters landed at Lisbon’s Figo Maduro military air base.

His first stop will be a welcoming ceremony hosted by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the presidential Belem Palace.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Andrei Khalip)