MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Manila city officials and the Vatican say a record 6 million people attended Pope Francis' final Mass and lined his motorcade route.

The chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Francis Tolentino, provided the estimate in a text message to The Associated Press on Sunday.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the Holy See had been told by local officials that the figure was between 6 million and 7 million.

Officials had hoped that the number of people attending the Mass would surpass the 5 million who turned out for St. John Paul II's final Mass in Manila's Rizal Park in 1995.

(Story by: Nicole Winfield, Teresa Cerojano, The Associated Press)

 

 

 

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