Farewell Ceremony from South Sudan at Juba International Airport

This morning, following Holy Mass at the “John Garang” Mausoleum Complex, the Holy Father Francis transferred to Juba International Airport for the farewell ceremony from South Sudan.

Upon arrival, together with the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Pastor Iain Greenshields, the Pope was received by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit at the entrance to the VIP Lounge, where a brief private meeting was held. Then, after the greeting of the delegations and the Guard of Honour, Pope Francis boarded an ITA Airways A359 for his return journey to Italy.

The aircraft carrying the Holy Father on the return from his Apostolic Journey in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and from the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace in South Sudan took off from Juba International Airport at 11.56 local time (10.56 in Rome) and landed at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome-Fiumicino at 16.49.

Telegram to the Republic of South Sudan

Immediately after his departure by air from Juba, the Holy Father Francis sent the following telegram to the President of the Republic of South Sudan, His Excellency Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit:

HIS EXCELLENCY SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN
JUBA

AS I LEAVE SOUTH SUDAN AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY ECUMENICAL PILGRIMAGE OF PEACE, I WISH TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY, THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND THE BELOVED PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY. WITH RENEWED ASSURANCES OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE UPON THE NATION THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

FRANCISCUS PP.

Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Juba to Rome

During the flight from Juba to Rome, as the aircraft carrying the Holy Father passed through Sudanese, Egyptian and Greek airspace, before finally re-entering Italy, Pope Francis sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State:

Overflight Sudan

HIS EXCELLENCY ABDEL-FATTAH AL BURHAN
CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSITIONAL SOVEREIGNTY COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN
KHARTOUM

AS MY RETURN FLIGHT FROM SOUTH SUDAN TAKES ME OVER YOUR COUNTRY, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. IN OFFERING THE ASSURANCE OF A REMEMBRANCE IN MY PRAYERS FOR ALL OF YOU, I WILLINGLY INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND HARMONY UPON THE NATION.

FRANCISCUS PP.

Overflight Egypt

HIS EXCELLENCY ABDEL FATTAH EL-SISI
PRESIDENT OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT
CAIRO

I SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT AS MY RETURN FLIGHT FROM SOUTH SUDAN TAKES ME OVER YOUR COUNTRY. ENTRUSTING THE NATION TO THE PROVIDENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY, I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF FRATERNITY AND PEACE.

FRANCISCUS PP.

Overflight Greece

HER EXCELLENCY KATERINA SAKELLAROPOULOU
PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC
ATHENS

AS I FLY THROUGH GREEK AIRSPACE ON MY RETURN JOURNEY TO ROME FROM SOUTH SUDAN, I SEND CORDIAL GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE UPON THE NATION AND ALL ITS PEOPLE ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

FRANCISCUS PP.

Italy – arrival

HIS EXCELLENCY

HONORABLE SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE
ROME

ON MY RETURN FROM MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO AND SOUTH SUDAN, WHERE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLES ANCHORED IN STRONG SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS AND KEEN TO FIND PEACE AND JUSTICE AT LAST, I CORDIALLY WISH SERENITY TO YOU, MR PRESIDENT, AND TO THE BELOVED ITALIAN NATION, AND I ASSURE YOU OF MY CONSTANT PRAYERS

FRANCISCUS PP.