Pope Francis will visit the poor in a favela and meet young prisoners when he travels to Brazil on his first international trip as pontiff in July.

The four-day visit of Pope Benedict XVI to his native Germany for the Catholic Church’s World Youth celebrations - initiated by his predecessor Pope John Paul II and held every three years - has been an unqualified success.

AFTER wowing 400,000 adoring young people with extraordinary stamina for a man his age, Pope John Paul rested on Friday ahead of the main events this weekend at the Roman Catholic Church's global youth jamboree.