Hundreds of people gathered to watch his departure from the region of the country where he was born and spent much of his life.

At the sanctuary, thousands had gathered to greet the Pope (AP)

The Pope came to the shrine as a boy to pray after the death of his mother

The Pope prayed for the protection of children from corruption

It was an emotional last day in the four-day trip retracing his life in Poland

Many felt the Pope knew he was seeing his homeland for the last time

The Pope flew by helicopter over the small town of Wadowice where he grew up (AP)