Below are the texts of the telegrams Pope Francis sent to the Heads of State of the countries his plane flew over this morning while flying from Rome to Armenia for his 14th Apostolic Visit abroad, June 24-26:
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TO HIS EXCELLENCY
HONORABLE SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
PALACE QUIRINALE – 00187 ROMA
IN THE MOMENT IN WHICH I SET OFF TO MAKE MY APOSTOLIC VISIT IN ARMENIA TO DRAW FROM THE ANCIENT WISDOM OF THAT POPULATION, CONFIRM THEM IN THE FAITH, SUPPORT EVERY EFFORT TOWARD PEACE AND RECONCILIATION, I TURN TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND THE NATION OF ITALY TO SEND YOU MY RESPECTFUL GREETINGS AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO ALWAYS KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT SOLIDARITY AND TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH TRUST AND HOPE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original Text: Italian] [Translation by Deborah Castellano Lubov] ***
CROATIA:
HER EXCELLENCY KOLINDA GRABAR-KITAROVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZAGREB
AS I FLY OVER CROATIA ON MY WAY TO ARMENIA FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, TOGETHER WITH MY PRAYERS THAT ALMIGHTY GOD WILL BLESS ALL OF YOU WITH PEACE AND WELL-BEING.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA:
HIS EXCELLENCY BAKIR IZETBEGOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
SARAJEVO
I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AS I FLY OVER BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA EN ROUTE TO ARMENIA FOR A PASTORAL VISIT. I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GRANT YOU ALL HIS BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
MONTENEGRO:
HIS EXCELLENCY FILIP VUJANOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
PODGORICA
AS I FLY OVER MONTENEGRO ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO ARMENIA, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY. I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY BESTOW UPON YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
SERBIA:
HIS EXCELLENCY TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
BELGRADE
ENTERING SERBIAN AIR SPACE ON MY PASTORAL JOURNEY TO ARMENIA, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND I INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
BULGARIA:
HIS EXCELLENCY ROSEN PLEVNELIEV
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
SOFIA
AS I FLY OVER BULGARIA ON MY WAY TO ARMENIA, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING UPON ALL OF YOU ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
TURKEY:
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
ANKARA
FLYING OVER TURKEY ON MY PASTORAL VISIT TO ARMENIA, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, WITH PRAYERS THAT THE MOST HIGH WILL BESTOW UPON ALL IN THE NATION HIS CHOICEST BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text]
[Original Text: Italian] [Translation by Deborah Castellano Lubov] ***
CROATIA:
HER EXCELLENCY KOLINDA GRABAR-KITAROVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZAGREB
AS I FLY OVER CROATIA ON MY WAY TO ARMENIA FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, TOGETHER WITH MY PRAYERS THAT ALMIGHTY GOD WILL BLESS ALL OF YOU WITH PEACE AND WELL-BEING.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA:
HIS EXCELLENCY BAKIR IZETBEGOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
SARAJEVO
I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AS I FLY OVER BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA EN ROUTE TO ARMENIA FOR A PASTORAL VISIT. I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GRANT YOU ALL HIS BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
MONTENEGRO:
HIS EXCELLENCY FILIP VUJANOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
PODGORICA
AS I FLY OVER MONTENEGRO ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO ARMENIA, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY. I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY BESTOW UPON YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
SERBIA:
HIS EXCELLENCY TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
BELGRADE
ENTERING SERBIAN AIR SPACE ON MY PASTORAL JOURNEY TO ARMENIA, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND I INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
BULGARIA:
HIS EXCELLENCY ROSEN PLEVNELIEV
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
SOFIA
AS I FLY OVER BULGARIA ON MY WAY TO ARMENIA, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING UPON ALL OF YOU ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text] ***
TURKEY:
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
ANKARA
FLYING OVER TURKEY ON MY PASTORAL VISIT TO ARMENIA, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, WITH PRAYERS THAT THE MOST HIGH WILL BESTOW UPON ALL IN THE NATION HIS CHOICEST BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided text]
