Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Cuba to the USA

At the Antonio Maceo international airport in Santiago, at 12:00 noon, there was a departure ceremony held to mark the departure of His Holiness from Cuba.    The Pope was welcomed by the President, Raúl Castro, in the presence of other civil authorities, Cuban bishops and a group of the faithful.

The Holy Father spent some time in discussion with the President before the national hymns were played and the respective delegations greeted one another.

The aircraft, an Alitalia A330, carrying the Holy Father to Washington, DC in the United States of America, took off at 12:30pm.


As he left Cuba and as he passed over the Bahamas, the Holy Father sent greetings respectively to the Cuban President and to the Governor of the Bahamas.


His Excellency, Raúl Castro Ruz
President of the Councils of State
and of the Ministers of the Republic of Cuba
Havana

As I depart from Cuba, I wish to express my deep gratitude to Your Excellency and to all the Cuban people for your warm welcome to the country.  I invoke the blessings of Almighty God upon you all and I assure you of my prayers for your peace and prosperity.

Francis


Her Excellency, Dame Marguerite Pindling
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
Nassau

As I pass again over your nation, I wish to renew to Your Excellency and your fellow citizens the assurance of my best wishes, and I invoke the blessing of Almighty God upon the Bahamas.

Francis


Official welcome to the United States of America
at the Andrews Air Force Base, Washington, DC

The Alitalia aircraft carrying the Holy Father, Pope Francis from Santiago, Cuba landed in the United States, at the Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC at 3:50pm this afternoon, following a 3-hour flight.

The Pope was welcomed by the President of the United States of America, Barack H. Obama and the First Lady, Michelle, along with a few other civic authorities who were also present at the airport; the President, the Secretary General and the Associate Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of the United States (USCCB); the Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald William Wuerl and the Auxiliary Bishops of the See of Washington, DC; and the Military Ordinary for the United States of America, His Excellency, Timothy Broglio.

The Holy Father spent a few moments in private conversation with President Obama and then travelled by car to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington.

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