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 Georgia for his 16th Apostolic Visit abroad, Sept. 30- Oct. 2
This Apostolic Visit marks the second stage of his extended visit to the Caucasus, which, in June, saw the Holy Father in Armenia. The plane, with the Pontiff on board (Alitalia A321), took off from the Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport around 9:15 am today and landed in the international airport of Tiblisi at 2:55 pm (12:55 pm Roman time), after an almost four-hour flight:
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Italy
To His Excellency
The Honorable Sergio Mattarella
President of the Italian Republic
The Quirinale Palace
00187 Rome
At the moment I am about to undertake my Apostolic Journey to Georgia and Azerbaijan, to foster encounter and dialogue between different cultures and religions, to reinforce the path to Christian unity and to confirm the Catholic community in the faith, I am happy to send to you, Mister President, and to the Italian nation my warm greeting, which I accompany with fervent wishes for the spiritual, civil and social progress of beloved Italy
Franciscus PP
[Original Text: Italian] [ZENIT translation]
This Apostolic Visit marks the second stage of his extended visit to the Caucasus, which, in June, saw the Holy Father in Armenia. The plane, with the Pontiff on board (Alitalia A321), took off from the Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport around 9:15 am today and landed in the international airport of Tiblisi at 2:55 pm (12:55 pm Roman time), after an almost four-hour flight:
***
Italy
To His Excellency
The Honorable Sergio Mattarella
President of the Italian Republic
The Quirinale Palace
00187 Rome
At the moment I am about to undertake my Apostolic Journey to Georgia and Azerbaijan, to foster encounter and dialogue between different cultures and religions, to reinforce the path to Christian unity and to confirm the Catholic community in the faith, I am happy to send to you, Mister President, and to the Italian nation my warm greeting, which I accompany with fervent wishes for the spiritual, civil and social progress of beloved Italy
Franciscus PP
[Original Text: Italian] [ZENIT translation]
Croatia
HER EXCELLENCY KOLINDA GRABAR-KITAROVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZAGREB
AS I ENTER CROATIAN AIRSPACE ON MY WAY TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND TO ALL YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. UPON THE NATION I INVOKE ALMIGHTY GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
HIS EXCELLENCY BAKIR IZETBEGOVIĆ
CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
SARAJEVO
AS I FLY OVER BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I OFFER YOUR EXCELLENCY AND FELLOW CITIZENS MY BEST WISHES. WITH MEMORIES OF MY VISIT TO THE COUNTRY, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON YOU THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF THE ALMIGHTY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Montenegro
HIS EXCELLENCY FILIP VUJANOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
PODGORICA
FLYING OVER MONTENEGRO ON THE WAY TO MY PASTORAL VISIT TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I OFFER CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND FELLOW CITIZENS. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS AND INVOKE UPON THE NATION ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Serbia
HIS EXCELLENCY TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
BELGRADE
UPON ENTERING SERBIAN AIRSPACE ON MY WAY TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I OFFER BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE UPON THE NATION ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Bulgaria
HIS EXCELLENCY ROSEN PLEVNELIEV
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
SOFIA
AS I FLY OVER BULGARIA ON THE WAY TO MY PASTORAL VISIT TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I OFFER CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Turkey
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
ANKARA
AS I FLY OVER TURKEY ON THE WAY TO MY PASTORAL VISIT TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. WITH MEMORIES OF MY VISIT TO THE COUNTRY, I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS AND INVOKE UPON YOU ALL ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided telegrams]
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZAGREB
AS I ENTER CROATIAN AIRSPACE ON MY WAY TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND TO ALL YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. UPON THE NATION I INVOKE ALMIGHTY GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
HIS EXCELLENCY BAKIR IZETBEGOVIĆ
CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
SARAJEVO
AS I FLY OVER BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I OFFER YOUR EXCELLENCY AND FELLOW CITIZENS MY BEST WISHES. WITH MEMORIES OF MY VISIT TO THE COUNTRY, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON YOU THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF THE ALMIGHTY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Montenegro
HIS EXCELLENCY FILIP VUJANOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
PODGORICA
FLYING OVER MONTENEGRO ON THE WAY TO MY PASTORAL VISIT TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I OFFER CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND FELLOW CITIZENS. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS AND INVOKE UPON THE NATION ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Serbia
HIS EXCELLENCY TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
BELGRADE
UPON ENTERING SERBIAN AIRSPACE ON MY WAY TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN FOR A PASTORAL VISIT, I OFFER BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE UPON THE NATION ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Bulgaria
HIS EXCELLENCY ROSEN PLEVNELIEV
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
SOFIA
AS I FLY OVER BULGARIA ON THE WAY TO MY PASTORAL VISIT TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I OFFER CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. INVOKING DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Turkey
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
ANKARA
AS I FLY OVER TURKEY ON THE WAY TO MY PASTORAL VISIT TO GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, I EXTEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. WITH MEMORIES OF MY VISIT TO THE COUNTRY, I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS AND INVOKE UPON YOU ALL ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] [Vatican-provided telegrams]
