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Pope Francis in the Nicosia football stadium
Photo: ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP
In Cyprus, police arrested a man who tried to bring a knife to the Nicosia stadium for Pope Francis' service.
The 43-year-old was prevented from entering the stadium, the police said on Friday.
The non-Cypriot stated that he wanted to defend himself with a knife, it was said.
Further details were not initially known.
The incident did not affect the open-air celebration in the arena.
The organizers reported around 10,000 believers in the stadium.
The Pope arrived in Cyprus on Thursday.
Francis plans to stay on the Mediterranean island for two days before traveling on to Greece.
It is the second visit by a Pope to Cyprus, the majority of whose population belongs to the Christian Orthodox Church.
In 2010 the then Pope Benedict XVI.
visited the EU member state.
kha / dpa / Reuter / AFP
