Pilgrims in Poland Readying to Welcome Pope Francis

KRAKOW, Poland -- Security was high Wednesday as groups of cheerful young pilgrims from around the globe gathered in the streets of Krakow, in southern Poland, just hours before Pope Francis arrives to join World Youth Day, a major gathering of Catholics.

A shadow was cast on the celebrations by the brutal slaying a day earlier of a priest in France, adding to security fears already high due to a string of violent attacks in France and Germany. Polish officials said they have deployed tens of thousands of security officials to cover the event, which runs through Sunday.

It will be Francis' first visit to Poland, a predominantly Catholic country that is still proud of the late pontiff, St. John Paul II, who served as priest and archbishop in Krakow before becoming pope.

The sense of expectation was apparent in sunny Krakow on Wednesday with papal white-and-yellow flags decorating the streets and a heavy police presence.

The weather forecast for Krakow said rainstorms were possible later in the day.

Some 200,000 pilgrims attended an inaugural Mass Tuesday afternoon.