Farewell ceremony from the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Sakhir Air Base in Awali
Telegram to His Majesty the King of Bahrain
Telegram to Heads of State during the flight from Awali to Rome
Farewell ceremony from the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Sakhir Air Base in Awali
After leaving the Papal residence, the Holy Father Francis transferred by car to the Sakhir Air Base in Awali for the farewell ceremony from the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Upon arrival, the Pope was received by the King of Bahrain, His Majesty Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the hereditary prince and Prime Minister, another three of the King’s sons, and a granddaughter, at the entrance to the Royal Hall, where a brief meeting took place.
After the Guard of Honour and the greeting of the respective delegations, the Pope boarded a Gulf Air B787 in order to return to Italy.
The aircraft carrying the Holy Father on the return flight following his apostolic journey in the Kingdom of Bahrain departed from Sakhir Air Base at 13.16 (11.16 in Rome) and arrived at Leonardo da Vinci Rome-Fiuminicino International Airport at 16.36.
Telegram to His Majesty the King of Bahrain
Immediately after his departure by air from Awali, the Holy Father Francis sent the following telegram to His Majesty the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa:
HIS MAJESTY HAMAD BIN ISA AL-KHALIFA
KING OF BAHRAIN
MANAMA
AS I DEPART FOR ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY, I ONCE AGAIN EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE HOSPITALITY EXTENDED TO ME DURING MY STAY IN YOUR COUNTRY, AND I RENEW THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOUR MAJESTY AND ALL IN THE KINGDOM.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Telegram to Heads of State during the flight from Awali to Rome
During the flight from Awali to Rome, as the aircraft carrying the Holy Father passed over Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Greece and Albania, before finally arriving in Italy, Pope Francis sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State:
Overflight Kuwait
HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH NAWAF AL-AHMAD AL-JABER AL-SABAH
AMIR OF THE STATE OF KUWAIT
KUWAIT CITY
FLYING OVER KUWAIT ON MY RETURN TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND GREETINGS OF PRAYERFUL GOOD WISHES TO YOUR HIGHNESS AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Overflight Iraq
HIS EXCELLENCY ABDUL LATIF RASHID
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ
BAGHDAD
AS I FLY OVER IRAQ ON MY RETURN TO ROME FOLLOWING MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, TOGETHER WITH MY PRAYERS FOR THE UNITY, PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Overflight Turkey
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKIYE
ANKARA
RETURNING TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF TÜRKIYE, TOGETHER WITH WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Overflight Greece
HER EXCELLENCY KATERINA SAKELLAROPOULOU
PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC
ATHENS
AS I RETURN TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I AM PLEASED TO RENEW MY PRAYERFUL GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF GREECE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Overflight Albania
HIS EXCELLENCY BAJRAM BEGAJ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
TIRANA
FLYING THROUGH ALBANIAN AIRSPACE AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND PRAYERFUL GREETINGS AND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF ALBANIA, AND I INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF JOY AND PEACE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Italy – arrival
HIS EXCELLENCY
HON. SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE
AS I RETURN FROM MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY IN THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO MEET THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY COMPOSED OF PEOPLE FROM SEVERAL COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS ETHNICITIES, RELIGIONS AND CULTURES, URGING THEM TO CONTINUE IN FRATERNAL AND PACIFIC CO-EXISTENCE, I CONVEY TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, MY CORDIAL GREETING AND ASSURE A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE ENTIRE BELOVED ITALIAN NATION, TO WHOM I SEND MY AFFECTIONATE BLESSING.
FRANCISCUS PP.
