Mexican church authorities declared Pope John Paul's current visit "an outstanding success", as seven million people turned out to see the Pope on the streets of Mexico City and 60 million more watched an open-air Mass on television Michael McCaughan reports.
The Pope signed a 76-point document on church teaching, The Church in America, a blueprint for teaching into the next century. He spoke out against drug-trafficking, social inequality, corruption, terrorism, racism and the destruction of the environment, "a culture of death which endangers democracy and restricts human freedom".
Latin America's external debt, said the Pope, was the result of speculative financial policies, corruption and the irresponsibility of some governments.
The Pontiff also addressed the Mexican government over the thorny issue of indigenous rights in Chiapas, south-east Mexico. "There will be no solution until the indigenous population are recognised as the first inhabitants of the land," he said.
But the heart and soul of the Pope's visit were on the streets of this huge city, where yellow and white flags displaced rival football colours and even the smog cleared for a while. "It's as if you're seeing God himself," said one woman, waiting for the Pope-mobile to pass by. She spent her entire life savings, 700 pesos (£50), to travel from her village and see the Pope.
"Catholic families must make a church of their homes," said the Pope, "transforming themselves into true centres of evangelisation."
The Pope also declared Mexico's Guadelupe Virgin "Empress of the Americas", a continental symbol of indigenous faith.
The Papal visit continued yesterday morning, with an open-air Mass at a giant racetrack, before an afternoon visit to a public hospital.