Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Departure from Rome and Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Rome to Sofia

Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Departure from Rome and Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Rome to Sofia, 05.05.2019

This morning Pope Francis began his 29th International Apostolic Trip, to Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

At 6.20 he left the Vatican and transferred by car to Rome-Fiumicino International Airport where, at 7.10, he departed for Sofia on board an Alitalia A321.

The aircraft carrying the Holy Father landed at Sofia International Airport at 9.50 local time (8.50 in Rome). During the flight, the Holy Father sent telegrams of greeting to the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Heads of State of the countries through whose airspace the aircraft passed: Croatia (Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović) Bosnia and Herzegovina (Milorad Dodik), Montenegro (Milo Đukanović) and Serbia (Aleksandar Vučić).

Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Words of the Holy Father during the flight from Rome to Sofia
Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Official Reception, Welcome Ceremony, Visit to the President and Meeting with the Authorities
Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Visit to the Patriarch Neophyte and the Holy Synod
Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Prayer before the Throne of Saints Cyril and Methodius and Recitation of the Regina Coeli in Saint Alexander Nevsky Square
Apostolic Trip of Pope Francis to Bulgaria and North Macedonia (5 to7 May 2019) – Holy Mass in Knyaz Alexandar I Square
Message of the Holy Father to participants in the International Conference “The Common Good on our Common Seas”, taking place in Copenhagen