Pope Francis in Bolivia: a pilgrim and a witness
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis travelled from Ecuador to Bolivia on Wednesday afternoon, at the end of the first leg of his three-country visit to Latin America, and the beginning of the second. Arriving at the “El Alto” airport in La Paz, Pope Francis began his Apostolic Voyage to Bolivia by invoking “peace and prosperity upon all the people of this country.”
Listen to Chris Altieri’s report
In his address at the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father said, “As a guest and a pilgrim, I have come to confirm the faith of those who believe in the Risen Christ, so that, during our pilgrimage on earth, we believers may be witnesses of his love, leaven for a better world and co-operators in the building of a more just and fraternal society.”
Pope Francis said that during his Visit he would, “encourage the vocation of Christ’s disciples to share the joy of the Gospel to be salt for the earth and light to the world.”
Following the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father visited privately with Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, before meeting in La Paz cathedral with Bolivian civil authorities and representatives of culture and civil society. In his prepared remarks, Pope Francis focused once again on the need to work in concert to promote the common good and meet the challenges facing society, especially the crisis of the family, immigration, and integral human development alongside and together with the challenges of stewardship of creation.