Thursday, August 14, 2014

Just passing through

Whenever the Holy Father travels through the airspace of other countries, it is his custom to issue a telegram of greeting to the Head of State of those countries.  In keeping with this practice, there were a number of telegrams issued as Pope Francis travelled in the past hours from Rome to Seoul.


The flight path followed by Shepherd One passed over Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Bielorussia, Russia, Mongolia and China before landing in Korea.


HIS EXCELLENCY IVO JOSIPOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZAGREB

AS I FLY OVER YOUR COUNTRY ON MY WAY TO KOREA FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION, I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY BLESS YOU ALL WITH PEACE AND WELL-BEING.

FRANCISCUS


HIS EXCELLENCY BORUT PAHOR
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
LJUBLJANA

I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS AS I FLY OVER YOUR COUNTRY ON MY WAY TO KOREA FOR A PASTORAL VISIT. INVOKING THE BLESSING OF ALMIGHTY GOD, I PRAY THAT HE MAY GRANT THE NATION PEACE AND WELL-BEING.

FRANCISCUS


HIS EXCELLENCY HEINZ FISCHER
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA
VIENNA

AS I ENTER AUSTRIAN AIR SPACE ON MY JOURNEY TO KOREA, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. I INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, AS I ASK ALMIGHTY GOD TO GRANT THE NATION THE GIFT OF WELL-BEING AND PEACE.

FRANCISCUS PP


HIS EXCELLENCY ANDREJ KISKA
PRESIDENT OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC
BRATISLAVA

AS I FLY OVER SLOVAKIA ON MY WAY TO KOREA, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING THE BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD UPON YOU ALL, I PRAY THAT PEACE AND WELL-BEING MAY FLOURISH IN THE NATION.

FRANCISCUS PP


HIS EXCELLENCY BRONISŁAW KOMOROWSKI
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND
WARSAW

UPON ENTERING POLISH AIR SPACE, I WISH TO EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. I INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, AND PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY BLESS THE NATION WITH PEACE AND WELL-BEING.

FRANCISCUS PP


HIS EXCELLENCY ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
MINSK

AS I FLY OVER YOUR NATIONAL TERRITORY, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING DIVING BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION, I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GRANT YOU ALL WELL-BEING AND PEACE.

FRANCISCUS PP


HIS EXCELLENCY VLADIMIR PUTIN
PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
MOSCOW

AS I ENTER RUSSIAN AIR SPACE, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. I INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, PRAYING THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GRANT THE NATION PEACE AND WELL-BEING.

FRANCISCUS PP


PRESIDENT TSAKHIAGIIN ELBEGDORJ
PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA
ULAANBAATAR

AS I FLY OVER MONGOLIA, I EXTEND TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS THE ASSURANCE OF MY BEST WISHES. INVOKING DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, I PRAY THAT PEACE AND WELL-BEING MAY FLOURISH IN THE NATION.

FRANCISCUS PP


HIS EXCELLENCY XI JINPING
PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
BEIJING

UPON ENTERING CHINESE AIR SPACE, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND I INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND WELL-BEING UPON THE NATION.

FRANCISCUS PP

Upon his arrival at the Air Base in Seoul, at 10:15am local time (3:15am in Rome), the Holy Father, Pope Francis was welcomed by the President of the Republic, Mister Park Geun-hye.  There were also a few other dignitaries present, including the President of the Korean Episcopal Conference and a representative group of the faithful.

The Holy Father then travelled by car to the Apostolic Nunciature in Seoul where he celebrated a private Mass.

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