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EL PASO, Texas (AP) — When Pope Francis wraps up his visit to Mexico with a Mass in Ciudad Juarez next Wednesday, tens of thousands of people will be watching from the U.S. side of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas.
El Paso city officials are expecting to spend about $1 million on security, even though Pope Francis won't cross the international bridge. Several downtown neighborhoods, city government and a portion of the border highway will be closed for what the City Council calls an "unparalleled high-profile event."
For those who won't be at the outdoor Mass in Juárez or watching from the American side of the Rio Grande, the Catholic Diocese of El Paso is hosting a livestream event at the Sun Bowl, a stadium that holds more than 50,000 people. The diocese is promoting the papal visit under the banner "Two Nations, One Faith."
El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz says Pope Francis will address "the plight of so many migrants and refugees fleeing violence and poverty in their home countries."
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