Pope Francis arrived in Yangon (Rangoon), in Myanmar (Burma) around 1:20 pm local time (7:50 am in Rome) on November 27, 2017, for his 21st international trip.
His plane, Alitalia’s Flight A 330 left the Leonardo da Vinci Roman airport last evening, around 10:00 pm During the flight, which lasted some ten hours, the Holy Father greeted the journalists traveling with him, thanking them for their work “which sows much good.”
“I wish you a good stay. They say it’s very hot, I’m sorry, but may it at least be fruitful,” he said before greeting the media representatives one by one.
On his arrival, under a mitigated sky and a temperature of some 30 degrees Celsius, the Pontiff was received by a Minister Delegate of the President of the Republic, Htin Kyaw, by the Burmese Bishops and by some one hundred children in traditional costumes.
After the sober reception, the Pope returned to the Archbishopric of Yangon, where “a festive crowd” awaited him, reported Vatican Radio. He would celebrate Mass there in private.
No official meeting was planned for this first day. Tomorrow, November 28, the Holy Father will meet with the Burmese Authorities, the civil society and the Diplomatic Corps at Naypyidaw, the country’s capital. The Pope will have a private conversation with President Htin Kyaw, as well as with the Counsellor of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Pontiff will stay in Myanmar until November 30, when he will leave for Bangladesh. His return to Rome is scheduled for next Saturday, December 2. This is his third trip to the Far East, after Sri Lanka and the Philippines (January 2015) and Korea (August 2014).
