The five days festival will feature several appearances by Pope Francis. The 76-year-old pope, the first pontiff from Latin America, took a rest day yesterday after a tumultuous welcome during his arrival on Monday that prompted security concerns when police failed to contain frenzied crowds that mobbed his car.

Today, the pope will visit the shrine of the Madonna of Aparecida, whom Catholics venerate as the patroness of Brazil.

In the afternoon, he returns to Rio to visit a hospital run by the Franciscan religious order and address young people taking part in a drug rehabilitation program. He will return to Rome on Sunday.

Aleš Jenuš, RadioSI