Pope aboard flight to UAE: ‘Rain
in Emirates sign of blessing’
 |
| Pope Francis speaks to journalists aboard the papal plane (ANSA) |
Aboard the papal plane bound for Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Pope
Francis greets journalists and gives them an icon representing the relationship
between the elderly and younger generations.
By Andrea Tornielli
Pope Francis greeted the journalists accompanying him to Abu
Dhabi aboard the papal plane.
The Pope was introduced by the words of the interim Director
of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, who said: “Holy Father, it
seems like yesterday - it almost was yesterday - that we were on the flight
back from Panama. Among the many welcome posters there was one from the Muslim
community of Panama that read: ‘Welcome Pope Francis, man of peace’, in
Spanish. It is with this spirit that I believe they await you in the Emirates,
as a man of peace, to strengthen dialogue”.
Gratitude and an icon
The Pope first thanked the journalists for their presence,
then added: “This morning I received news that it was raining in Abu Dhabi, and
there it is thought of as a sign of blessing. Let’s hope that everything goes
like that”.
Pope Francis continued, saying: “I brought each of you an
icon made in the monastery of Bose, a copy, so that you can take it home. It’s
on the theme of dialogue between the old and the young. I care deeply about
this topic, and I think it’s a challenge”.
The icon, distributed to journalists by the Prefect of the
Dicastery for Communication, Paolo Ruffini, shows a young monk carrying an
elderly monk on his shoulders.
Personal stories
During his exchange of greetings with journalists, sweets
prepared by nuns who care for the sick were given to the Pope.
Someone else told the Pope an Emirati doctor’s story who
studied in Italy and who in recent weeks, on the occasion of the trip and as a tribute
to Pope Francis, decided to carry out surgical procedures free-of-charge on a
hundred children who are victims of the war in Yemen.
A photographer from Ansa, from the Italian city of Genoa,
gave the Pope a T-shirt with the stylized image of the Morandi Bridge that
collapsed last August.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét