Pope Francis sends telegram from plane to China, and other countries

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis sent telegrams to the Heads of State of the countries in which his plane overflew during his trip to South Korea.  For the first time in history, a Pope has flown over the People’s Republic of China, and in his telegram to President Xi Jinping, Pope Francis said “UPON ENTERING CHINESE AIR SPACE, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND I INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND WELL-BEING UPON THE NATION.”

The full text of all the telegrams are below

 

 

Belarus

 

HIS EXCELLENCY ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS 

MINSK

 

AS I FLY OVER YOUR NATIONAL TERRITORY, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS.  INVOKING DIVING BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION, I PRAY THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GRANT YOU ALL WELL-BEING AND PEACE.

 

FRANCISCUS PP.

 

Russia

 

HIS EXCELLENCY VLADIMIR PUTIN

PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

MOSCOW

 

AS I ENTER RUSSIAN AIR SPACE, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS.  I INVOKE DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, PRAYING THAT ALMIGHTY GOD MAY GRANT THE NATION PEACE AND WELL-BEING.

 

FRANCISCUS PP.

 

Mongolia

 

PRESIDENT TSAKHIAGIIN ELBEGDORJ

PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA

ULAANBAATAR

 

AS I FLY OVER MONGOLIA, I EXTEND TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS THE ASSURANCE OF MY BEST WISHES.  INVOKING DIVINE BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL, I PRAY THAT PEACE AND WELL-BEING MAY FLOURISH IN THE NATION.

 

FRANCISCUS PP.

 

China

 

HIS EXCELLENCY XI JINPING

PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

BEIJING

 

UPON ENTERING CHINESE AIR SPACE, I EXTEND BEST WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND I INVOKE THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND WELL-BEING UPON THE NATION.

 

FRANCISCUS PP.