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 Peru for his 22nd Apostolic Visit abroad to Chile and Peru, Jan. 15-22, 2018.
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PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA
HIS EXCELLENCY JUAN MANUEL SANTOS
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA
BOGOTA
AS MY RETURN FLIGHT FROM CHILE AND PERU TAKES ME OVER COLOMBIA, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. RECALLING WITH PLEASURE MY RECENT VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I WILLINGLY INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND JOY UPON THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA
HIS EXCELLENCY NICOLÁS MADURO
PRESIDENT OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA
CARACAS
I SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA AS MY RETURN FLIGHT FROM CHILE AND PERU TAKES ME OVER YOUR COUNTRY. ENTRUSTING THE NATION TO THE PROVIDENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND STRENGTH.
FRANCISCUS PP.
PRESIDENT OF PORTUGAL
HIS EXCELLENCY MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA
PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC
LISBON
AS I FLY OVER PORTUGAL ON MY RETURN JOURNEY FROM CHILE AND PERU TO ROME, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. RECALLING WITH PLEASURE MY RECENT VISIT TO PORTUGAL, I WILLINGLY INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY UPON THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
KING OF SPAIN
HIS MAJESTY FELIPE VI
KING OF SPAIN
MADRID
AS MY RETURN JOURNEY TO ROME TAKES ME ONCE MORE THROUGH SPANISH AIRSPACE, I CORDIALLY RENEW MY PRAYERS THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF SPAIN MAY ENJOY THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
FRANCISCUS PP.
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
HIS EXCELLENCY EMMANUEL MACRON
PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
PARIS
RETURNING TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO CHILE AND PERU, I ONCE AGAIN EXPRESS MY CORDIAL BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I GLADLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF JOY AND HARMONY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] PRESIDENT OF ITALY
A SUA ECCELLENZA
ON. SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE
AL RIENTRO DAL VIAGGIO APOSTOLICO IN CILE E PERU’, DOVE HO POTUTO INCONTRARE NUMEROSI FEDELI E RAPPRESENTANTI DI QUELLE CARE POPOLAZIONI AMMIRANDONE LA FEDE E IL DESIDERIO DI CRESCITA SPIRITUALE E SOCIALE, ESPRIMO A LEI, SIGNOR PRESIDENTE, IL MIO CORDIALE SALUTO E ASSICURO UNA SPECIALE PREGHIERA PER IL BENE, LA SERENITA’ E LA PROSPERITA’ DELL’INTERA NAZIONE ITALIANA, ALLA QUALE INVIO DI CUORE LA MIA BENEDIZIONE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original Text: Italian] [Vatican-provided telegrams]
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PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA
HIS EXCELLENCY JUAN MANUEL SANTOS
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA
BOGOTA
AS MY RETURN FLIGHT FROM CHILE AND PERU TAKES ME OVER COLOMBIA, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. RECALLING WITH PLEASURE MY RECENT VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I WILLINGLY INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND JOY UPON THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA
HIS EXCELLENCY NICOLÁS MADURO
PRESIDENT OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA
CARACAS
I SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA AS MY RETURN FLIGHT FROM CHILE AND PERU TAKES ME OVER YOUR COUNTRY. ENTRUSTING THE NATION TO THE PROVIDENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND STRENGTH.
FRANCISCUS PP.
PRESIDENT OF PORTUGAL
HIS EXCELLENCY MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA
PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC
LISBON
AS I FLY OVER PORTUGAL ON MY RETURN JOURNEY FROM CHILE AND PERU TO ROME, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. RECALLING WITH PLEASURE MY RECENT VISIT TO PORTUGAL, I WILLINGLY INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY UPON THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
KING OF SPAIN
HIS MAJESTY FELIPE VI
KING OF SPAIN
MADRID
AS MY RETURN JOURNEY TO ROME TAKES ME ONCE MORE THROUGH SPANISH AIRSPACE, I CORDIALLY RENEW MY PRAYERS THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF SPAIN MAY ENJOY THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
FRANCISCUS PP.
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
HIS EXCELLENCY EMMANUEL MACRON
PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
PARIS
RETURNING TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO CHILE AND PERU, I ONCE AGAIN EXPRESS MY CORDIAL BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I GLADLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF JOY AND HARMONY.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original text: English] PRESIDENT OF ITALY
A SUA ECCELLENZA
ON. SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE
AL RIENTRO DAL VIAGGIO APOSTOLICO IN CILE E PERU’, DOVE HO POTUTO INCONTRARE NUMEROSI FEDELI E RAPPRESENTANTI DI QUELLE CARE POPOLAZIONI AMMIRANDONE LA FEDE E IL DESIDERIO DI CRESCITA SPIRITUALE E SOCIALE, ESPRIMO A LEI, SIGNOR PRESIDENTE, IL MIO CORDIALE SALUTO E ASSICURO UNA SPECIALE PREGHIERA PER IL BENE, LA SERENITA’ E LA PROSPERITA’ DELL’INTERA NAZIONE ITALIANA, ALLA QUALE INVIO DI CUORE LA MIA BENEDIZIONE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
[Original Text: Italian] [Vatican-provided telegrams]
