Peru prisoners prepare for papal visit

Prisoners convicted of crimes like robbery and drug trafficking at a prison in the Peruvian Amazon are using their time behind bars to build simple wooden chairs that indigenous leaders will use while meeting with Pope Francis.

More than a hundred inmates were commissioned by the Catholic Church to build 350 chairs that will be placed inside a coliseum in Puerto Maldonado, a gateway into the Amazon rainforest that Francis is scheduled to visit on Friday.

“We are paying for the bad we did,” said Sergio Curay, 48, who is serving nine years for aggravated robbery. “We hope the pope will forgive us.”

The chairs constructed in a prison woodworking shop have four thin legs and a back with an hourglass-shaped decoration. They’re made of wood from Amazon forests where illegal gold mining and deforestation threaten the delicate ecosystem.

During his trip to the Amazon, Francis is expected to meet with indigenous leaders traveling from as far away as Brazil and Bolivia. The pontiff has spoken about the importance of protecting the Amazon in the past, referring to the world’s largest rainforest as one of the “lungs of our planet” in a letter to bishops.

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmates build the chairs that will be used by indigenous leaders attending events with Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. “We are paying for the bad we did,” said Sergio Curay, 48, who is serving nine years for aggravated robbery. “We hope the pope will forgive us.” (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmates build the chairs that will be used during events with Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. Prisoners convicted of crimes like robbery and drug trafficking at the prison in the Peruvian Amazon are using their time behind bars to build simple wooden chairs that indigenous leaders will use while meeting with Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, chairs built by inmates are stored ahead of the visit by Pope Francis, before being delivered to authorities for use by indigenous authorities attending events with the pope in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. They’re made of wood from Amazon forests where illegal gold mining and deforestation threaten the delicate ecosystem. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmate Roy Ruiz Flores, 44, pauses for a portrait as he rests from building chairs to be used during the visit by Pope Francis to Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. Prisoners convicted of crimes like robbery and drug trafficking at this prison in the Peruvian Amazon are using their time behind bars to build simple wooden chairs that indigenous leaders will use while meeting with Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, writings and a drawing cover the wall of the carpentry workshop at a prison where inmates are building chairs that will be used by indigenous leaders during events with Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. “We are paying for the bad we did,” said Sergio Curay, 48, who is serving nine years for aggravated robbery. “We hope the pope will forgive us.” (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmate and member of the band "Sin Limites," or Without Limits, rehearses the song "Esperanza y Amor," or Hope and Love, created by the prison musical group especially for the visit by Pope Francis, at the jai's chapel in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. Prisoners convicted of crimes like robbery and drug trafficking at this prison in the Peruvian Amazon are also using their time behind bars to build simple wooden chairs that indigenous leaders will use while meeting with Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmate and member of the band "Sin Limites," or Without Limits, rehearses the song "Esperanza y Amor," or Hope and Love, created by the prison musical group especially for the visit by Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. His guitar was built in the jail's wood shop. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, an inmate builds a chair to be used by indigenous leaders who will attend events with Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. The chairs have four thin legs and a back with an hourglass-shaped decoration. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, an inmate peers through a small opening in the door to explain to a taxi driver what materials he needs to build the chairs that will be used during events with Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. More than a hundred inmates were commissioned by the Catholic Church to build 350 chairs that will be placed inside a coliseum in Puerto Maldonado, a gateway into the Amazon rainforest that Francis is scheduled to visit on Friday. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmate Roy Ruiz Flores, 44, sands wood as he helps build the chairs to be used by indigenous leaders during Pope Francis's visit in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. The chairs are made of wood from Amazon forests where illegal gold mining and deforestation threaten the delicate ecosystem. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, an inmate builds a chair to be used by guests who will attend events with Pope Francis in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. More than a hundred inmates were commissioned by the Catholic Church to build 350 chairs that will be placed inside a coliseum in Puerto Maldonado, a gateway into the Amazon rainforest that Francis is scheduled to visit on Friday. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, inmate band members "Sin Limites," or Without Limits, return to their jail cells after rehearsing their song "Esperanza y Amor," or Hope and Love, written by them especially for Pope Francis' upcoming visit to the Amazon, in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios province, Peru. The pontiff has spoken about the importance of protecting the Amazon in the past, referring to the world’s largest rainforest as one of the “lungs of our planet” in a letter to bishops. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) | See these photos on AP Images

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Text from the AP news story, AP PHOTOS: Peru prisoners build chairs for papal visit, by Rodrigo Abd. 

Photos by Rodrigo Abd

Rodrigo Abd on Instagram

See these photos on AP Images