At 7:00am today (local time in Rome), the Holy Father, Pope Francis departed from Rome's Fumicino international airport aboard an Alitalia A320 destined for the island of Lesvos (Greece). At the moment when he left Italian airspace en route to Mytilene, passing over Albania and then finally entering into Greek airspace, the Holy Father sent the following greetings to the respective Heads of State:
To His Excellency
The Honorable Sergio Matarella
President of the Italian Republic
Palazzo del Quirinale, 00187 Rome
As I leave the territory of Italy en route to Greece, to bring comfort to so many refugees, I am particularly grateful to extend to you, Mister President, my respectful greetings which are accompanied by my fervent prayers and thoughts of blessing, that the Italian people may face the challenges of our times with foresight and in solidarity.
Francis
To His Excellency, Bujar Nishani
President of the Republic of Albania
Tirané
I send cordial greetings to Your Excellency and to your fellow citizens as I travel over Albanian airspace. Upon all of you I invoke the divine blessings of peace and joy.
Francis
To His Excellency
Prokopis Pavlopoulos
President of the Hellenic Republic
Athens
On entering in Greek airspace, I assure Your Excellency of my good wishes and prayers for you and for your fellow citizens. Looking forward with great pleasure to my visit, I invoke God's blessings of peace and strength upon all of you.
Francis
Upon his arrival, shortly before 10:00am local time at the Mytilene internatioal airport, the Holy Father was welcomed by the Prime Minister and also by His Holiness, Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His Beatitude, Ieronymos, Archbishop of Athens and of all Greece, and by His Excellency, Fragkiskos Papananolis, OFM Cap., President of the Greek Episcopal Conference.
Following the welcoming ceremony which took place in the presence of civil and ecclesiastical authorities, the Pope met privately with the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, His Excellency, Alexis Tsipras.
To His Excellency
The Honorable Sergio Matarella
President of the Italian Republic
Palazzo del Quirinale, 00187 Rome
As I leave the territory of Italy en route to Greece, to bring comfort to so many refugees, I am particularly grateful to extend to you, Mister President, my respectful greetings which are accompanied by my fervent prayers and thoughts of blessing, that the Italian people may face the challenges of our times with foresight and in solidarity.
Francis
To His Excellency, Bujar Nishani
President of the Republic of Albania
Tirané
I send cordial greetings to Your Excellency and to your fellow citizens as I travel over Albanian airspace. Upon all of you I invoke the divine blessings of peace and joy.
Francis
To His Excellency
Prokopis Pavlopoulos
President of the Hellenic Republic
Athens
On entering in Greek airspace, I assure Your Excellency of my good wishes and prayers for you and for your fellow citizens. Looking forward with great pleasure to my visit, I invoke God's blessings of peace and strength upon all of you.
Francis
Welcoming ceremony at the Mytilene international airport
Upon his arrival, shortly before 10:00am local time at the Mytilene internatioal airport, the Holy Father was welcomed by the Prime Minister and also by His Holiness, Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His Beatitude, Ieronymos, Archbishop of Athens and of all Greece, and by His Excellency, Fragkiskos Papananolis, OFM Cap., President of the Greek Episcopal Conference.
Following the welcoming ceremony which took place in the presence of civil and ecclesiastical authorities, the Pope met privately with the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, His Excellency, Alexis Tsipras.
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