Papal Telegrams Sent en Route to Seoul

To Chinese Leader: ‘I Invoke the Blessings of Peace and Well-Being Upon the Nation’

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As customary, Pope Francis sent telegrams to the leaders of the nations over which he flew en route to Korea. The texts of the telegram, all originally in English, are below.

Of special note was the telegram to Xi Jinping of China.

China is one of the few nations that does not maintain diplomatic ties with the Holy See. 

Francis is the first Pope to fly through Chinese air space. Pope John Paul II flew a route that avoided China during his two visits to South Korea.

* * *

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 PP.

* * *

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.

BOLLETTINO N. 0571 – 14.08.2014 3

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.

[01255-02.01] [Original text: English]
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