Guaratiba disappointed after pope visit was cancelled For months, a humble Rio de Janeiro neighborhood spruced up for the arrival of Pope Francis and more than one million pilgrims. But the ceremony had to be cancelled after days of rain which had transformed the field into a giant mud pit. The last minute change caused controversy as to whether Brazil was ready to host the World Youth Day and whether it will be ready to host the World Cup in a year's time. Images and soundbites.