Thousands of Kenyan Catholics waited in the pouring rain for an open-air mass delivered by Pope Francis. A third of Kenya's 45 million people are Catholics and tens of thousands of them gathered amid tight security on the rain-soaked campus of the University of Nairobi.
Schoolgirls attend a mass delivered by Pope Francis at the University of NairobiNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesPeople stand in the mud as they attend a mass by Pope Francis in NairobiStefano Rellandini/ReutersWomen clean their shoes before a mass given by Pope FrancisStefano Rellandini/ReutersCrowds gather at the University of Nairobi, despite the rainNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesPeople are reflected in a puddle as they for a giant open-air mass held by Pope FrancisGeorgina Goodwin/AFPA disabled woman walks along a rain-slicked road as people queue to attend a mass by Pope FrancisGoran Tomasevic/ReutersPeople take cover under umbrellas at the massGoran Tomasevic/ReutersA Catholic priest jumps over a ditch at the massGoran Tomasevic/ReutersCatholic priests walk through the mud as they attend the mass by Pope FrancisGoran Tomasevic/ReutersKenyan priests take cover from the rain at the University of NairobiGeorgina Goodwin/AFPA woman holds a banner calling for the Pope to help BurundiGoran Tomasevic/ReutersA member of the clergy takes cover from the rainStefano Rellandini/ReutersCrowds shelter from the rain at the University of Nairobi groundsNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesThe University of Nairobi is a sea of umbrellasGeorgina Goodwin/AFP
The Pope received a raucous welcome from the crowd as he travelled around the university grounds in his open-sided popemobile, with some 10,000 police on hand for security. Some people had been there since 3am, braving heavy showers, while others lined up in queues 3km long to get close to the venue.
Pope Francis waves to the faithful as he arrives for a Papal mass in Kenya's capitalThomas Mukoya/ReutersA woman is assisted after she was injured while crowds pushed for space at the mass by Pope FrancisThomas Mukoya/ReutersMembers of the Maasai tribe wait for Pope Francis to arrive in Nairobi, at Jomo Kenyatta International AirportGoran Tomasevic/ReutersSoldiers attend a giant open-air mass celebrated by Pope Francis at the University of NairobiGiuseppe Cacace/AFPA woman prays at the University of Nairobi groundsNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesThe faithful attend a giant open-air mass celebrated by Pope Francis at the University of NairobiGiuseppe Cacace/AFPA woman carries a loaf of bread in the shape of AfricaGiuseppe Cacace/AFPSecurity gather outside the University of Nairobi groundsNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesKenyans clamour to see the Pope's convoy go byNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesA young girl waits on the roadside for the Pope's convoy to passNichole Sobecki/Getty ImagesCrowds cheer from the roadside as Pope Francis's convoy drives through the capital from the airportNichole Sobecki/Getty Images
In a meeting with religious leaders, the Pope called for dialogue between different religions in Africa and said it was vital to teach young people violence and hate in God's name are unjustified. Kenya has been the target of a spate of Islamist militant massacres. He referred to several attacks carried out by Somalia's al-Shabaab group in Kenya, including the 2013 assault in Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall and the 2015 attack on Garissa university.
"All too often, young people are being radicalised in the name of religion to sow discord and fear, and to tear at the very fabric of our societies," he said, adding inter-faith dialogue isn't a luxury or optional, but is simply "essential". Kenya, a former British colony is majority Christian, but Muslims represent about 10% of the population.
Pope Francis attends a multi-faith meeting in NairobiDaniel Dal Zennaro/Reuters
Bridging divisions between Muslims and Christians is a main theme of the Pope's first tour of the continent that takes him to Uganda, which has seen Islamist attacks, and the Central African Republic, riven by sectarian conflict.
