Pope Francis sends telegramme to Italian President

Pope Francis sends telegramme to Italian President

Pope Francis waves as boards the Alitalia plane taking him to Bogota, Colombia on his 20^th Apostolic Journey abroad.- AP

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Wednesday sent a telegramme to Italian President Sergio Mattarella upon his departure from Rome's Fiumicino Airport for his Apostolic Journey to Colombia.

In the telegramme, the Pope said he travels to Colombia "in order to sustain the local Church's mission and to bring a message of hope". 

He also sends "fervid hopes for the spiritual, civil, and social well-being of the beloved Italian nation" and imparts his Apostolic Blessing.

Please find below a Vatican Radio English-language translation of the telegramme:

"As I depart from Rome for my Journey to Colombia, in order to sustain the local Church's mission and to bring a message of hope, I greatly desire to send you, Mr. President, my deferential greetings, which I accompany with fervid hopes for the spiritual, civil, and social well-being of the beloved Italian nation, to which I gladly send my Apostolic Blessing."

The original Italian text of the telegramme is below:

A SUA ECCELLENZA

ON. SERGIO MATTARELLA

PRESIDENTE  DELLA  REPUBBLICA ITALIANA

PALAZZO  DEL  QUIRINALE 00187   ROMA

NEL MOMENTO IN CUI LASCIO ROMA PER RECARMI IN COLOMBIA, PER SOSTENERE LA MISSIONE DELLA CHIESA LOCALE E PORTARE UN MESSAGGIO DI SPERANZA, MI E’ CARO RIVOLGERE A LEI, SIGNOR PRESIDENTE, IL MIO DEFERENTE SALUTO, CHE ACCOMPAGNO CON FERVIDI AUSPICI PER IL BENESSERE SPIRITUALE, CIVILE E SOCIALE DELLA DILETTA NAZIONE ITALIANA, CUI INVIO VOLENTIERI LA BENEDIZIONE APOSTOLICA

FRANCISCUS PP.

www.en.radiovaticana.va