Pope Francis urges Europe to work for peace as he celebrates World Youth Day

More than one million young people from around the world were expected to attend the gathering, which culminates with a papal Mass on Sunday

Pope Francis is currently on a five-day trip tp Portugal where he will mark World Youth Day in Lisbon (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Pool/AP)

Pope Francis challenged Europe to retake its role as a peacemaker and bridgebuilder as he arrived in Portugal to open World Youth Day, hoping to inspire the next generation of Catholics to work together to combat conflicts, climate change and other problems facing the world.

Francis was spending five days in Lisbon, blending a state visit and pilgrimage to the Catholic shrine at Fatima with the raucous trappings of World Youth Day, the Catholic jamboree that aims to rally young Catholics in their faith.