Pope Sends Telegrams During Flight to Holy Land

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis has sent a series of telegrams to the head of state of each of the countries he was scheduled to fly over during his flight to Jordan, the first leg of his three-day apostolic pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Here are the telegrams in their original languages:

ITALY

A SUA ECCELLENZA L’ON. GIORGIO NAPOLITANO PRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA

PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE   00187  ROMA

NEL MOMENTO IN CUI MI ACCINGO A COMPIERE IL MIO PELLEGRINAGGIO IN TERRA SANTA, A CINQUANT’ANNI DALLO STORICO VIAGGIO DEL VENERABILE PAOLO SESTO, AL FINE DI PREGARE PER LA GIUSTIZIA E LA PACE E PER INCORAGGIARE IL DIALOGO ECUMENICO E INTERRELIGIOSO, DESIDERO RIVOLGERE A LEI, SIGNOR PRESIDENTE, E AL POPOLO ITALIANO IL MIO CORDIALE SALUTO, CHE ACCOMPAGNO CON SINCERI AUSPICI PER IL BENE SPIRITUALE E SOCIALE DELLA DILETTA ITALIA.

FRANCISCUS  PP

GREECE

HIS EXCELLENCY KAROLOS PAPOULIAS,  PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC

ATHENS

I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND TO YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS AS I FLY OVER YOUR COUNTRY AT THE BEGINNING OF MY PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND.  I PRAY TO ALMIGHTY GOD, THAT HE MAY GUIDE YOUR EFFORTS IN FAVOUR OF AN EVER MORE JUST AND PEACEFUL SOCIETY.  UPON THE GREEK PEOPLE, I INVOKE THE LORD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.

FRANCIS PP

CYPRUS

HIS EXCELLENCY NICOS ANASTASIADES,  PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

NICOSIA

I EXTEND WARM GREETINGS TO YOU AND THE CITIZENS OF CYPRUS AS I JOURNEY OVER YOUR COUNTRY ON MY PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND.  I INVOKE UPON THE ENTIRE NATION THE LORD’S BLESSINGS OF JOY AND PEACE.

FRANCIS PP

ISRAEL

HIS EXCELLENCY SHIMON PERES, PRESIDENT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL

TEL AVIV

AS I BEGIN MY PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND, I SEND CORDIAL AND GOOD WISHES TO YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.  I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU AND TO VISITING THE HOLY LAND.  I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS ALMIGHTY GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.

FRANCISCUS PP