Departure from Rome
Telegram to the President of the Italian Republic
Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Rome to Jakarta
Official Welcome at Jakarta Airport
Departure from Rome
Today Pope Francis began his 45th International Apostolic Journey, this time to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore.
In the afternoon, shortly after 16.00, around fifteen homeless men and women, accompanied by His Eminence Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Almoner of His Holiness, visited the Pope at Santa Marta before his departure.
The Holy Father then transferred by car to Leonardo da Vinci Rome-Fiumicino International Airport where, at 17.32, he departed on board an A330 / ITA Airways aircraft bound for Jakarta.
The aircraft carrying the Holy Father arrived at “Soekarno-Hatta” International Airport at 11.16 local time (06.16 in Rome) on Tuesday 3 September 2024.
Telegram to the President of the Italian Republic
Upon leaving Italian territory, the Holy Father Francis sent the following telegram to the President of the Italian Republic, the Honorable Sergio Mattarella:
HIS EXCELLENCY
HON. SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE 00187 ROMA
AS I PREPARE TO EMBARK ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY IN INDONESIA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, TIMOR-LESTE AND SINGAPORE, MOVED BY THE DESIRE TO MEET BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN FAITH AND ALL THOSE WHO, IN THOSE NATIONS RICH IN HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL VALUES, HAVE BEEN WITNESSES OF COMMUNION IN SOLIDARITY AND DIALOGUE EVEN IN TIMES AND SITUATIONS OF ADVERSITY, I AM PLEASED TO ADDRESS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND TO THE DEAR ITALIAN PEOPLE, MY AUSPICIOUS GREETINGS, WHICH I ACCOMPANY WITH WARM WISHES FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
FRANCIS
Telegrams to Heads of State during the flight from Rome to Jakarta
During the flight to Jakarta, when passing over Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India and finally Malaysia, the Holy Father Francis sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State:
Overflight Croatia
HIS EXCELLENCY ZORAN MILANOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
ZAGREB
I SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF CROATIA AS I FLY OVER YOUR COUNTRY ON MY WAY TO INDONESIA. ASSURING YOU OF A REMEMBRANCE IN MY PRAYERS, I GLADLY INVOKE UPON THE NATION ALMIGHTY GOD’S BLESSINGS OF WISDOM AND UNITY.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Bosnia and Herzegovina
HIS EXCELLENCY DENIS BEĆIROVIĆ
CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
SARAJEVO
AS I TRAVEL OVER BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AT THE START OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. I WILLINGLY INVOKE UPON THE NATION THE ALMIGHTY’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND WELLBEING.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Serbia
HIS EXCELLENCY ALEKSANDAR VUČIĆ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
BELGRADE
I SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL THE CITIZENS OF SERBIA AS I PASS OVER YOUR COUNTRY ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA. BE ASSURED OF MY PRAYERS THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GENEROUSLY BLESS THE NATION WITH THE GIFTS OF SOLIDARITY AND PEACE.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Montenegro
HIS EXCELLENCY JAKOV MILATOVIĆ
PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO
PODGORICA
GLADLY RECALLING YOUR VISIT TO THE VATICAN EARLIER IN THE YEAR, I SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I TRAVEL OVER MONTENEGRO EN ROUTE TO INDONESIA. WHILE PRAYING THAT THE NATION MAY ENJOY FRATERNAL HARMONY AND PEACE, I INVOKE THE BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD UPON ALL OF YOU.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Bulgaria
HIS EXCELLENCY RUMEN RADEV
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
SOFIA
FONDLY REMEMBERING YOUR EXCELLENCY’S RECENT VISIT TO THE VATICAN, PLEASE ACCEPT MY CORDIAL GOOD WISHES TO YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA AS I FLY OVER YOUR COUNTRY ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA. I ASSURE YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR THE PROSPERITY OF THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Turkey
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKIYE
ANKARA
CALLING TO MIND OUR RECENT MEETING AT THE G7, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AS I FLY OVER YOUR NATION ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA. ASSURING YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS OF MY PRAYERS, I INVOKE ABUNDANT DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON TÜRKIYE.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Iran
HIS EXCELLENCY MASOUD PEZESHKIAN
PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
TEHRAN
AS I TRAVEL OVER IRAN ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. BE ASSURED OF MY PRAYERS THAT THE ALMIGHTY MAY ABUNDANTLY BLESS YOUR COUNTRY WITH THE GIFT OF PEACE.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Pakistan
HIS EXCELLENCY ASIF ALI ZARDARI
PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD
I EXTEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS AS I FLY OVER PAKISTAN ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA. PRAYING THAT THE NATION WILL BE BLESSED WITH FRATERNITY AND PEACE, I WILLINGLY INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight India
HER EXCELLENCY DROUPADI MURMU
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA
NEW DELHI
AS MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA TAKES ME OVER INDIA, I OFFER MY GREETINGS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE INDIAN PEOPLE. PLEASE BE ASSURED OF MY PRAYERS THAT THE ALMIGHTY WILL BESTOW UPON THE NATION THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND WELLBEING.
FRANCISCUS
Overflight Malaysia
HIS MAJESTY SULTAN IBRAHIM ISMAIL IBNI ALMARHUM SULTAN ISKANDAR
YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG XVII OF MALAYSIA
I SEND CORDIAL GOOD WISHES TO YOUR MAJESTY AND THE PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA AS I PASS THROUGH YOUR COUNTRY’S AIRSPACE ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO INDONESIA. ASSURING YOU OF MY PRAYERS FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE NATION, I INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF UNITY AND PEACE.
FRANCISCUS
Official Welcome at Jakarta Airport
Upon arrival at “Soekarno-Hatta” International Airport in Jakarta, the Holy Father Francis was welcomed by the Minister for Religious Affairs and two children in traditional dress who gave him flowers.
After the greeting of the delegations and the Guard of Honour, the Pope transferred by car to the Apostolic Nunciature, where he was received at the entrance to the building by staff, a group of sick people and a group of migrants and refugees.
