Farewell ceremony from the Kingdom of Bahrain at Sakhir Air Base in Awali
After leaving the Papal Residence, the Holy Father Francis drove to Sakhir Air Base in Awali for the farewell ceremony from the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Upon his arrival, the Pope was welcomed by the King of Bahrain, His Majesty Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, three other sons of the King and a grandson, at the entrance of the Royal Hall where a brief meeting took place.
After the Guard of Honour and the greeting of the respective Delegations, the Pope boarded a Gulf Air B787 to return to Italy.
The plane carrying the Holy Father on his return from the Apostolic Journey to the Kingdom of Bahrain took off from Sakhir Air Base in Awali at 1.16pm (11.16am Rome time) and landed at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome-Fiumicino at 4.36pm.
Telegram to His Majesty the King of Bahrain
Immediately after his departure by plane from Awali, the Holy Father Francis sent the following telegram to His Majesty the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa:
HIS MAJESTY HAMAD BIN ISA AL-KHALIFA
KING OF BAHRAIN
MANAMA
AS I DEPART FOR ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY, I ONCE AGAIN EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE HOSPITALITY EXTENDED TO ME DURING MY STAY IN YOUR COUNTRY, AND I RENEW THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS FOR YOUR MAJESTY AND ALL IN THE KINGDOM.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Telegrams to Heads of State on the air flight from Awali to Rome
During the air journey from Awali to Rome, flying over Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Greece and Greece and Albania and finally returning to Italy, Pope Francis sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State the following telegrams:
Kuwait Overflight
HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH NAWAF AL-AHMAD AL-JABER AL-SABAH
AMIR OF THE STATE OF KUWAIT
KUWAIT CITY
FLYING OVER KUWAIT ON MY RETURN TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND GREETINGS OF PRAYERFUL GOOD WISHES TO YOUR HIGHNESS AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Iraq Overflight
HIS EXCELLENCY ABDUL LATIF RASHID
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ
BAGHDAD
AS I FLY OVER IRAQ ON MY RETURN TO ROME FOLLOWING MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, TOGETHER WITH MY PRAYERS FOR THE UNITY, PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE NATION.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Turchia Overflight
HIS EXCELLENCY RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKIYE
ANKARA
RETURNING TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF TÜRKIYE, TOGETHER WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Grecia Overflight
HER EXCELLENCY KATERINA SAKELLAROPOULOU
PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC
ATHENS
AS I RETURN TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I AM PLEASED TO RENEW MY PRAYERFUL GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF GREECE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Albania Overflight
HIS EXCELLENCY BAJRAM BEGAJ
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
TIRANA
FLYING THROUGH ALBANIAN AIRSPACE AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO BAHRAIN, I SEND PRAYERFUL GREETINGS AND GOOD WISHES TO YOUR EXCELLENCY AND THE PEOPLE OF ALBANIA, AND I INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU THE DIVINE BLESSINGS OF JOY AND PEACE.
FRANCISCUS PP.
Italy – arrival
TO HIS EXCELLENCY
HON. SERGIO MATTARELLA
PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
PALACE OF THE QUIRINAL
UPON RETURNING FROM MY APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO WAS ABLE TO MEET THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY COMPOSED OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS ETHNIC RELIGIONS AND CULTURES, URGING THE CONTINUATION OF FRATERNAL COEXISTENCE AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE, I EXTEND TO YOU, MR PRESIDENT, MY CORDIAL GREETINGS AND ASSURE A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE ENTIRE BELOVED ITALIAN NATION, TO WHOM I SEND MY AFFECTIONATE BLESSING.
FRANCISCUS PP.
