Below is a ZENIT translation of Pope Francis’ words to journalists during his flight from Rome to Egypt today, April 28, 2017. The Holy Father was presented to journalists by Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke:
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Greg Burke: Holy Father, we want to say thank you, above all thank you for this privilege to travel with you. To you who tell us to say “thank you,” “sorry,” “permission,” we ask pardon for the time we rob from you; however, Monsignor Maurizio Rueda tells me it will be little time, and I say this too to the journalists: that it is only a greeting, it is not the moment to do interviews; however, the Pope will go to greet everyone. Thank you for this very important trip.
Holy Father: Thank you. I thank you for the company and for your work, which will be an endeavor to help many people to understand the trip, to know what was done, what was said, so many things . . . people follow us.
This trip has a special expectation because it is a trip made by the invitation of the President of the Republic; by Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts; by the Patriarch of the Catholic Copts and by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. All four invited me to make this trip. It is a trip of unity, of brotherhood. I thank you for your work that in these less than two days will be quite, quite intense! Thank you.
[Original text: Italian] [Translation by Zenit, Virginia M. Forrester]
