On his flight to Corsica, Pope Francis greeted the 70 or so journalists, cameramen, and photographers who accompanied him, thanking them for their dedication and work. “It’s a short flight, but I wanted to greet you, and thank you for your work,” said the Pontiff. Among the gifts received, a statue of a damaged and muddy angel stood out, from a parish in Valencia devastated by storm Dana.
Greetings to the ‘Travel Companions’
Shortly after taking off from Rome-Fiumicino and before landing in Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, Pope Francis took a moment to greet the journalists covering his 47th apostolic journey. “Good morning, and thank you for coming!” were his opening words, followed by thanks for the service of the reporters.
The Pontiff, accompanied by Cardinal George Koovakad, who organises papal trips, expressed his gratitude: “I wish you a good journey, and thank you very much for your service. Thank you very much…” Acknowledging the flight’s brevity, he added: “We cannot have the usual conversation, but I wanted to come and greet you, and many thanks for your work. Thank you!”
Gifts for the Pope
Due to time and space constraints on the Ita Airways Airbus A320 Neo, the Pope did not make his traditional rounds between the seats to exchange greetings and receive gifts directly. However, the gifts were delivered to the Pontiff through spokesman Matteo Bruni.
The Angel of Valencia, Destroyed by Storm Dana
One of the most significant gifts was delivered by Eva Fernández, a correspondent for Radio Cope. It was a statue of a damaged and mud-stained angel, from the parish of Picanya, in Valencia, one of the areas most affected by the Dana storm in 2024. The sculpture, without a head or wings, but with its arms intact in a gesture of worship, symbolizes the suffering and resilience of the community.
In Memory of the Victims, Volunteers and Priests
The episcopal vicar of the metropolitan area of Valencia, Jesús Corbí, accompanied the statue with a letter addressed to the Pope. In it he explained that the sculpture was a “memory of those who died in this flood, of so many families who lost everything”, as well as a “token of gratitude for all the volunteers who helped us” and for the priests who were deeply involved with the affected community.
The letter stressed that “the suffering and work of our people are a sign of prayer so that, walking together, we may be pilgrims of hope in this dramatic situation.” He also thanked Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, for his visit, who brought the Pope’s closeness and charity to Valencia and its surroundings after the tragedy.
