(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has arrived in Colombia . The papal plane touched down in the military area of Bogotà’s airport just after 4pm local time, where a large delegation of Church and State authorities – including President Santos – welcomed him as he stepped onto the tarmac.
Our correspondent Linda Bordoni is in Bogotà and sent this report:
A crowd of eager Colombian faithful was also there waving flags, cheering and clapping to the rhythm of traditional music and dance while a little boy who was born in captivity – the son of former FARC hostage Clara Rojas – hugged him and handed him a handcrafted ceramic dove, symbol of peace.
It is Pope Francis’s 20 th apostolic journey abroad and during his five-day visit he will take his message of reconciliation and hope to all Colombians as he visits the cities of Bogotà, Villavicencio, Medellin and Cartagena from where he will depart on Sunday 10 th September.
It’s been 31 years since the Bishop of Rome set foot in this ravaged nation. There were no official discourses scheduled for the occasion and none were needed as Pope Francis immediately set the tone for the visit with a powerful gesture of attention and care for those closest to his heart.
Making his way down the red carpet to the pope-mobile, he stopped at length to touch and caress disabled and sick children, and – especially poignant and significant in the Colombian context – he took time to engage with and bless, one at a time, a group of mutilated and disabled military veterans representing one of the too many groups of victims of a conflict the nation is struggling to put behind.
Then, the streets were packed with people – ordinary Colombians – for the whole fifteen kilometre drive to the nunciature where a tired Pope Francis can rest and gather strength for a gruelling pastoral visit charged with expectations as he “Takes the First Step” with all the people of the divided and suffering nation as they seek the best route to navigate the treacherous path to peace.
But before tucking up for the night Francis again gave voice to the voiceless and spelt out his priorities by sharing his joy and his faith with a group of poor orphaned children and vulnerable adolescents. “Never lose joy, never lose hope” he told them – and – “don’t forget to pray for me!”
In Bogotà with Pope Francis, I’m Linda Bordoni for Vatican Radio
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent telegrams to the countries over which he flew on his flight to Colombia for his Apostolic Journey to the country.
Those countries include: France, Spain, Portugal, United States, The Netherlands, and Venezuela.
Please find below the telegrams:
France
HIS EXCELLENCY EMMANUEL MACRON
PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
PARIS
AS MY APOSTOLIC VOYAGE TO COLOMBIA TAKES ME OVER FRANCE, I SEND WARM GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS THAT ALL IN THE NATION MAY BE ABUNDANTLY BLESSED BY ALMIGHTY GOD.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Spain
HIS MAJESTY KING FELIPE VI
KING OF SPAIN
MADRID
I EXTEND WARM GREETINGS TO YOUR MAJESTY, THE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, AND ALL THE SPANISH PEOPLE AS MY JOURNEY TO COLOMBIA TAKES ME OVER SPAIN. ENTRUSTING THE NATION TO THE PROVIDENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF CONCORD AND PEACE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Portugal
HIS EXCELLENCY MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA
PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC
LISBON
AS MY JOURNEY TO COLOMBIA TAKES ME THROUGH PORTUGUESE AIRSPACE, I SEND WARM GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. ASSURING YOU OF MY PRAYERS THAT ALL MAY ENJOY PEACE AND PROSPERITY, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON THE NATION GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
United States (Ocean and Puerto Rico)
THE HONORABLE DONALD TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
WASHINGTON
AS I TRAVEL THROUGH UNITED STATES AIRSPACE ON MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I EXTEND WARM GREETINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, INVOKING UPON ALL OF YOU ALMIGHTY GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
The Netherlands
Sorvolo Antille Olandesi – 6 settembre 2017
HIS MAJESTY WILLEM-ALEXANDER
KING OF NETHERLANDS
AS I FLY THROUGH YOUR AIRSPACE ON MY VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I EXTEND WARM GREETINGS TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE CARIBBEAN PARTS OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS, PRAYING THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY BLESS YOU ALL.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Venezuela
HIS EXCELLENCY NICOLÁS MADURO
PRESIDENT OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA
CARACAS
AS MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA TAKES ME OVER VENEZUELA, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA. PRAYING THAT ALL IN THE NATION MAY PROMOTE PATHS OF SOLIDARITY, JUSTICE AND CONCORD, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis arrives in Bogotà, the Colombian capital, on Wednesday at the start of his five day pastoral visit to the South American nation.
The Holy Father will be welcomed by Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos, together with other political and religious leaders, including the Archbishop of Bogotà, Cardinal Ruben Salazar .
The theme of the visit is ‘taking the first step ’ towards peace and reconciliation in the country which has endured half a century of civil war between the government and leftwing guerilla groups. While a peace accord was signed in Cuba last year, violence continues in rural areas and the nation remains deeply divided.
Ahead of the pope’s arrival, Cardinal Salazar spoke about his expectations with our correspondent in Bogotà, Linda Bordoni:
Listen to Linda’s conversation with Colombian Cardinal Ruben Salazar :
The cardinal says this visit is “really very important” as the nation is living through a “very decisive moment in our history”. At this moment, he says, “we are leaving behind years of conflict, of war” and hoping “we can go towards peace, fraternity and solidarity”. In this sense, he adds, Pope Francis will have “very important” words for the Colombian people.
Pope’s concern for “voiceless” victims
Asked about the many victims of Colombia’s civil war, the cardinal notes that in the city of Villavicencio on Friday, the pope will meet with some of those victims, as well as representatives of local indigenous communities. On Sunday, in Cartgena, the pope will meet members of the Afro-Colombian community and these meetings, the cardinal says, show that the Holy Father is “very concerned about the voiceless in Colombia”.
Minorities are key for peace
These minorities, Cardinal Salazar says, are now “the key for real peace” and in this sense, he insists, these meetings are “a moment of hope for all of us”.
Stewardship of creation
Finally the cardinal speaks about the important issue of ecology and the stewardship of creation, saying that the country has “important national resources” but it is vital to learn to use them without damaging the environment. At the moment, he says, “we are not so able to do that”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has departed on an Apostolic visit to Columbia. The Holy Father took off from Rome’s Fiumicino airport shortly after 11 am Rome time this morning.
He is expected to land in Bogota at 23.30 Rome time tonight.
During his visit he will also visit the cities of Villavicencio, Medellín and Cartagena before returning to Rome on the morning of 11th September.
As has become tradition, Pope Francis on Tuesday afternoon visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pray before the icon of the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani.
In a tweet before his departure the Pope said, “Dear Friends, please pray for me and all of Colombia, where I will be travelling for a journey dedicated to reconciliation and peace.”
(from Vatican Radio)…