Pope Francis celebrated Mass before a crowd of thousands at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on the morning of July 26 as he began the third day of his papal visit to Canada.
The Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church will participate in the annual Lac Ste. Anne pilgrimage later this afternoon to continue what he has called his “journey of healing and reconciliation” with Canadian indigenous communities affected by the Church’s involvement in the residential school system.
Lac Ste. Anne, a large lake just west of Edmonton, is the site of an annual pilgrimage attended by up to 40,000 participants, making it the “largest annual Catholic gathering in Western Canada,” according to the pilgrimage’s website. The pilgrimage is significant for the pope’s visit as a large portion of its attendees are usually of First Nations and Métis descent, and the lake is also home to the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation….