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| Pope Francis turned to take pictures as he boards a Plane. Photo - ACI Prensa |
Pope Francis leaves Rome for Malta on April 2 at exactly 8:39 am, boarding an ITA Airways Plane at the Fiumicino Airport. This is the first international trip of the Year 2022, and the 36th, since his pontificate.
On board the A320 flight with the Supreme Pontiff are his entourage and a group of journalists, who will travel with him for an hour and a half.
After the historic trips of Benedict XVI in 2010 and that of Saint John Paul II in 1990 and 2001, Pope Francis is the third Pope to visit this European Country.
This trip, formerly scheduled for May 31, 2020, was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On board the A320 flight with the Supreme Pontiff are his entourage and a group of journalists, who will travel with him for an hour and a half.
After the historic trips of Benedict XVI in 2010 and that of Saint John Paul II in 1990 and 2001, Pope Francis is the third Pope to visit this European Country.
This trip, formerly scheduled for May 31, 2020, was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visitation motto
The organizers of the visit prepared a logo that is accompanied by the phrase in English "They showed us unusual Kindness" ("Its inhabitants showed us an uncommon cordiality"). The phrase refers to the shipwreck suffered by Saint Paul, narrated in chapter 28 of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, when the Apostle of the Gentiles was on his way to Rome by sea, and was welcomed by the inhabitants of the island of Malta.The Republic of Malta is an Island of 315 kilometers squared, spread over several Islands, mainly that of Malta and Gozo, located in the Mediterranean Sea, sharing boundaries with Sicily, Italy, Tunisia and Libya, with population of 420,000 and 97% are Catholics.
The Church in Malta has just two dioceses: Archdiocese of Malta and the Diocese of Gozo.
Pilgrim in the footsteps of Saint Paul
The Maltese believe Christianity came to the Island via Saint Paul, hence he is venerated as their patron saint.Pope Francis declared while concluding the General Audience of March 30, that he will travel as a “pilgrim in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul , who was welcomed there with great humanity after being shipwrecked at sea while on his way to Rome. ”.
The Supreme Pontiff also related that Malta is a "luminous land" and that "this apostolic journey will be the occasion to visit the sources of the proclamation of the Gospel, to meet in person a Christian community with a millenary and lively history, to meet the inhabitants of a country that is located in the center of the Mediterranean and in the south of the European continent, today even more committed to welcoming so many brothers and sisters who seek refuge”.
Pope Francis said “From now on I salute all of you Maltese: happy day. I thank those who have worked to prepare this visit and I ask each one to accompany me in prayer. Thank you!”
Visitation program
The Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to Malta will last from April 2-3. The Holy Father will visit the cities of Valletta, Rabat, Floriana and the Island of Gozo.During his apostolic visit, Pope Francis will pray on the island of Gozo at the Shrine of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu. The most visited Marian place in the territory.
In addition, the Pope will pray in the famous place where Saint Paul lived, located in the complex of the basilica, dedicated to the Apostle of the Gentiles that is located in the city of Rabat (Malta).
Currently, access to the Grotto of Saint Paul is through the church of Saint Publius, the first Bishop of Malta; to one side of the Basilica of San Pablo and the parish museum that preserves numerous and valuable works of art and history, such as the gift that Benedict XVI gave during his visit on the occasion of the 1950 anniversary of the shipwreck of San Pablo.
Finally, Pope Francis will meet with about 200 migrants and Refugees in the "John XXIII Peace Laboratory" which was founded more than 50 years ago by the 91-year-old Franciscan priest Dionisio Mintoff OFM and currently hosts 55 in Hal Far. migrant people.
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