Below are the texts of the telegrams Pope Francis sent to the Heads of State of the countries his plane flew over while returning to Rome from Egypt for his 18th Apostolic Visit abroad, April 28-29.
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PRESIDENT OF EGYPT
HIS EXCELLENCY ABDEL FATTAH AL SISI
PRESIDENT OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT
CAIRO
AS I LEAVE EGYPT, I WISH TO EXPRESS MY DEEP GRATITUDE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND TO ALL THE BELOVED EGYPTIAN PEOPLE FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE UPON THE NATION THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND JOY.
FRANCISCUS
PRESIDENT OF ITALY
TO HIS EXCELLENCY
THE HONORABLE SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
THE QUIRINALE PALACE
00187 ROME
RETURNING FROM MY VISIT TO EGYPT, WHERE I MET THAT NOBLE PEOPLE, RICH WITH HISTORY, CULTURE AND SPIRITUALITY, I EXPRESS TO YOU, PRESIDENT, MY WARMEST GREETINGS AND ENSURE A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE BENEFIT AND PROSPERITY OF THE ENTIRE ITALIAN NATION ON WHICH I INVOKE CELESTIAL BLESSINGS
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original Text: Italian] [Translation by Deborah Castellano Lubov] PRESIDENT OF GREECE
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PRESIDENT OF EGYPT
HIS EXCELLENCY ABDEL FATTAH AL SISI
PRESIDENT OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT
CAIRO
AS I LEAVE EGYPT, I WISH TO EXPRESS MY DEEP GRATITUDE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND TO ALL THE BELOVED EGYPTIAN PEOPLE FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE UPON THE NATION THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND JOY.
FRANCISCUS
PRESIDENT OF ITALY
TO HIS EXCELLENCY
THE HONORABLE SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
THE QUIRINALE PALACE
00187 ROME
RETURNING FROM MY VISIT TO EGYPT, WHERE I MET THAT NOBLE PEOPLE, RICH WITH HISTORY, CULTURE AND SPIRITUALITY, I EXPRESS TO YOU, PRESIDENT, MY WARMEST GREETINGS AND ENSURE A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE BENEFIT AND PROSPERITY OF THE ENTIRE ITALIAN NATION ON WHICH I INVOKE CELESTIAL BLESSINGS
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original Text: Italian] [Translation by Deborah Castellano Lubov] PRESIDENT OF GREECE
HIS EXCELLENCY PROKOPIS PAVLOPOULOS
PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC
ATHENS
AS I RETURN FROM MY PASTORAL VISIT TO EGYPT, I WISH TO RENEW TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS AND BEST WISHES FOR GREECE AND ALL ITS PEOPLE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English]
[Vatican-provided telegrams]
