En route to Sarajevo, Pope sent telegram to Italian President

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis arrived in Sarajevo Saturday morning for a one day visit to the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.   In a telegram to Italian President Sergio Mattarella as he flew across the Italian peninsula on his way to the formerly war-torn city, the Pope said he hopes his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina will encourage “encounter and dialogue among different cultures and religions, reinforce the path towards Christian unity and confirm the Catholic community in the faith.”   The pontiff also sent greetings to the Italian people and offered his “fervid hopes” for their country’s spiritual, civil and social progress.