Departure from Rome

Telegram to the President of the Italian Republic

Departure from Rome

This morning Pope Francis began his 47th International Apostolic Journey, this time to Ajaccio, Corsica, for the conclusion of the Congress La Religiosité Populaire en Méditerranée.

Shortly before 7.00, accompanied by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Almoner of His Holiness, a group of approximately ten homeless people, women and men, who shelter at night under the colonnade of Saint Peter’s Square, greeted Pope Francis at the Casa Santa Marta before his departure for Ajaccio.

After leaving the Casa Santa Marta, the Holy Father Francis transferred by car to Leonardo da Vinci Rome-Fiumicino International Airport, from where he departed at 8.06 on board an ITA Airways A230 Neo aircraft bound for Ajaccio.

The aircraft landed at “Napoléon Bonaparte” Airport in Ajaccio at 8.49.

Telegram to the President of the Italian Republic

As he left 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
QUIRINAL PALACE, 00187 ROME

AS I EMBARK ON MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO AJACCIO FOR THE CONGRESS ON POPULAR PIETY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO RENEW MY INVITATION TO CONSIDER THE RELIGIOUS-ARTISTIC-CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE MANY CIVILIZATIONS BORDERING THE MARE NOSTRUM, WHICH, DESPITE HISTORICAL EVENTS, HAVE CAREFULLY CONSERVED THE SPIRITUAL LEGACY HANDED DOWN BY THEIR FATHERS IN FAITH. I HOPE THAT THIS SINGULAR EVENT MAY INSPIRE GREATER INTEREST IN REDISCOVERING THE DESIRE TO DRAW ON THE SOUND VALUES THAT HAVE FORGED MEN AND WOMEN, SO THAT IN THE FRUITFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN RELIGIONS, POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE, RESPECT FOR ONE'S ROOTS, THE FREEDOM TO BEAR WITNESS TO ONE'S BELIEFS AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE MAY BE PROMOTED. I ADDRESS A CORDIAL GREETING THAT I ACCOMPANY WITH FERVENT GOOD WISHES FOR BELOVED ITALY TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND TO THE ITALIAN PEOPLE.

FRANCIS