Rio de Janeiro metro breaks down amid mass Catholic gathering—official

Pilgrims wait in line in hopes of getting a limited but free ticket to the Wednesday Mass to be attended by Pope Francis, outside the Aparecida Basilica in Aparecida, Brazil, Tuesday, July 23, 2013. Rio de Janeiro’s subway broke down due to an electrical problem on Tuesday as throngs of pilgrims headed to Copacabana beach for a Mass that will kick off World Youth Day, according to a Rio Metro spokesman. AP PHOTO/FELIPE DANA

RIO DE JANEIRO—Rio de Janeiro’s subway broke down due to an electrical problem on Tuesday amid a massive gathering of Catholic youth and a papal visit, a Rio Metro spokesman told AFP.

“Line 1 and 2 have stopped due to an energy problem on the tracks,” the spokesman said as throngs of pilgrims headed to Copacabana beach for a Mass that will kick off World Youth Day.

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