Farewell ceremony at Figo Maduro Air Base
Telegram to the President of the Republic of Portugal
Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Lisbon to Rome
Farewell ceremony at Figo Maduro Air Base
At 17.50 (18.50 in Rome), the Holy Father Francis arrived at Figo Maduro Air Base, where the farewell ceremony at the end of his visit to Portugal took place.
Upon arrival, the Pope was received by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the entrance of the VIP lounge, where a brief private meeting took place.
After the greeting of the delegations and the Guard of Honour, the Holy Father boarded an Air Portugal A321/TAP aircraft for his return to Italy.
The aircraft carrying the Holy Father on the return trip from his Apostolic Journey in Portugal departed from Figo Maduro Air Base at 18.22 local time (19.22 in Rome) and landed at Rome-Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport at 21.40.
Telegram to the President of the Republic of Portugal
Immediately after departure from Figo Maduro Air Base, the Holy Father Francis sent the following telegram to the President of the Republic of Portugal, His Excellency Mr. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa:
HIS EXCELLENCY MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA
PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC
LISBON
ON MY RETURN TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY, I ONCE AGAIN WISH TO EXPRESS MY DEEP GRATITUDE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF PORTUGAL FOR THE WARM WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY I RECEIVED DURING MY VISIT. WITH RENEWED ASSURANCES OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOU ALL, I CORDIALLY INVOKE UPON THE NATION ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF FRATERNITY, JOY AND PEACE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Lisbon to Rome
During the flight from Lisbon to Rome, as the aircraft carrying the Holy Father passed through Spanish and French airspace and finally arrived in Italy, Pope Francis sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State:
Overflight Spain
HIS MAJESTY FELIPE VI
KING OF SPAIN
MADRID
AS I FLY ONCE AGAIN THROUGH SPANISH AIRSPACE FOLLOWING MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO PORTUGAL, I CORDIALLY RENEW MY PRAYERFUL GREETINGS AND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR MAJESTY, THE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Overflight France
HIS EXCELLENCY EMMANUEL MACRON
PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
PARIS
RETURNING TO ROME FOLLOWING MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO PORTUGAL, I WILLINGLY RENEW THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERFUL GOOD WISHES TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE. MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU WITH HIS ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Arrival – Italy
HIS EXCELLENCY
HON. SERGIO MATTARELLA
QUIRINAL PALACE 00187 ROME
AS I RETURN FROM MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY IN PORTUGAL, A FRONTIER LAND FACING THE OCEAN AND A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER BETWEEN PEOPLES AND CULTURES, WHERE I SPENT DAYS ENLIVENED BY THE ENTHUSIASM OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND BY THE CONSOLING SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF THAT NATION, I RAISE TO GOD MY GRATITUDE AND PRAY THAT THE NEW GENERATIONS, FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF THE VIRGIN MARY, PARTICULARLY VENERATED THERE AS OUR LADY OF FATIMA, MAY BE ABLE TO EMBARK WITH CONFIDENCE ON THE PLAN THE HEAVENLY FATHER HAS FOR EACH ONE OF THEM. WITH SUCH SENTIMENTS, I HEARTILY TO SEND YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND TO THE DEAR ITALIAN PEOPLE, MY WARMEST GREETINGS, ASSURING YOU OF MY BLESSING.
FRANCISCUS PP.
