Off to Korea

This afternoon in Rome, the Holy Father, Pope Francis began his third international voyage which will take him to the Republic of Korea for the celebration of the 6th Asian Youth Day which is taking place in Daejeon from August 13 to 17 with the theme: Youth of Asia, arise! The glory of the martyrs shines on you.

Before leaving Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport at Fumicino, the Pope was greeted by the President of the Council for the Republic of Italy, the Honourable Matteo Renzi.

The aircraft carrying the Holy Father (an Alitalia A330) left Fumicino's airport at 4:17pm local time (GMT+1).  The expected time of arrival at the Airbase in Seoul will be 10:30am tomorrow, August 14 (9:30pm local time tonight in Toronto).

Telegram of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

to the President of the Italian Republic

At the moment when he left Italian airspace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis sent the following message to the President of the Italian Republic, the Honourable Giorgio Napolitano:

TO HIS EXCELLENCY
THE HONOURABLE GIORGIO NAPOLITANO
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE
00187 ROMA

AT THE MOMENT THAT I LEAVE ROME TO BEGIN MY TRAVEL TO KOREA TO SUPPORT THE MISION OF THE LOCAL CHURCH AND TO CARRY A MESSAGE OF WISDOM TO THE ENTIRE POPULATION, I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO SEND YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT, MY DISTINGUISHED GREETINGS, WHICH ACCOMPANY MY FERVENT WISHES FOR THE SPIRITUAL, CIVIL AND SOCIAL BETTERMENT OF THE ITALIAN PEOPLE, TO WHOM I WILLINGLY IMPART THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING.

FRANCISCUS.