Pope Francis thanks pilgrims for well wishes ahead of Brazilian trip to celebrate youth

YoopyaJul 21, 20130

Pope Francis blesses the faithful during the Angelus noon prayer he celebrated from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 21, 2013. Francis leaves Monday, July 22, for Rio de Janeiro, where a million or more young Catholics are expected to celebrate the World Youth Day with their new pope. The trip is the first international journey for the 76-year-old Argentine since he became pope in March. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has thanked pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square for their good wishes for his impending journey to Brazil for World Youth Day.

Pope Francis blesses the faithful during the Angelus noon prayer he celebrated from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 21, 2013. Francis leaves Monday, July 22, for Rio de Janeiro, where a million or more young Catholics are expected to celebrate the World Youth Day with their new pope. The trip is the first international journey for the 76-year-old Argentine since he became pope in March. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

The pope departed from his prepared text during the traditional Sunday Angelus blessing to point to a large banner with “Buon Viaggio,” or “Good Trip,” written across it.

`’I ask you to join me spiritually through prayer on the journey I will be begin tomorrow,” Francis said.

More than a million young Catholics are expected to celebrate their new pope during World Youth Day in Rio.

The 76-year-old Argentine became the church’s first pontiff from the Americas in March, and the trip to Brazil is his first international journey since becoming pope.

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