Sunday, July 5, 2015

The ninth voyage begins

This morning, Pope Francis' 9th International Apostolic Voyage, which will take him to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, began.

The aircraft bearing the Holy Father (an Alitalia A330) departed from Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome-Fumicino shortly after 9:00am today.

Arrival at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito is scheduled for 3:00pm local time (10:00pm Rome time), following a 13-hour flight.


Telegrams to the Heads of State

At the moment when he left the territory of Italy, and entered the airspace over Spain and Portugal on the flight to Quito, the Holy Father sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State:

His Excellency
The Honourable Sergio Mattarella
President of the Italian Republic
Quirinale Palace
00187 Rome

At the moment when I leave Rome to travel to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, to support the mission of the local Church and to deliver a message of hope, I am pleased to present to you, Mister President, my respectful greetings which are accompanied with fervent wishes for the spiritual, civil and social good of the Italian people, upon whom I willingly impart the Apostolic Benediction.

Francis


His Majesty, King Felipe VI
King of Spain
Zarzuela Palace
Madrid

Flying over the territory of Spain at the beginning of my pastoral visit to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, I am pleased to send Your Majesty and to the Queen a cordial greeting, and I renew my affection for and closeness to the Spanish people, asking the Lord to grant you abundant graces and continued spiritual and social progress in peaceful coexistence.

Francis


His Excellency, Mister Anibal Cavaco Silva
President of the Republic of Portugal
Lisbon

While flying over Portugal on a pastoral visit which will take me to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, I have the pleasure of greeting Your Excellency, and of presenting my cordial greetings for you personally and for the entire nation over which I invoke divine blessings, that you will know the joy and hope of living in harmony and experience the well-being of all your children.

Francis


After having crossed the Atlantic Ocean, the Pope will also send telegrams to the Presidents of Venezuela and Columbia as he passes over those countries en route to this destination.

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