Catholics mark Good Friday

In his new city of Rome, Pope Francis presides over the Way of the Cross procession to mark the first Good Friday of his pontificate.

Thousands of people holding candles gathered at the Colosseum to watch as representatives from around the world took turns carrying a wooden cross to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

The pope called on Christians to respond to evil with good and to continue living with hope.

But here, where people know Pope Francis as Father Jorge Bergoglio, Catholics carry out the same ceremony through the streets of one of Buenos Aires' poorest neighbourhoods.

The Argentine town, where some 18,000 people live in poverty, was one that Pope Francis knew well before being called to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

He used to walk these streets himself, said Father Pepe, so this year's procession is a very important spiritual moment for us.

Latin America is home to approximately 42 percent of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.