MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Vatican protocol message to President Macri when Pope overflew Argentina
In a telegram sent to president Macri, Francis expressed his “closeness” and extended his blessing to all the Argentine people While overflying Argentine territory on Monday, in his trip to Chile for a three-day visit, Pope Francis sent his “warm greetings” to President Mauricio Macri and called on his fellow Argentines not to forget to pray for him, in his twenty second apostolic trip, which also includes Peru.
In a telegram sent to president Macri, Francis expressed his “closeness” and extended his blessing to all the Argentine people, but contrary to expectations there were no announcements and the message was drafted in a sober style and colloquial language, typical Vatican protocol. Earlier in the week the Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke anticipated the message would be “interesting”.
“While overflying Argentine air space I extend to you my warm greetings and send my best wishes for all the people of my motherland, ensuring them of my closeness and blessings. I beg on all of you, please, not to forget to pray for me”, said the telegram which was signed with the Latin version of Francis, Franciscus.
As is tradition each time the aircraft carrying the pope overflies a country, the Holy See prepares a message of salutation from the Catholic leader to the respective heads of State. In this case the sober text sent to Argentina came as a surprise since Jorge Mario Bergoglio never has returned to his country since he was appointed Pope some five years ago.
A few days ago in a meeting with the international media and in a reply to a specific question on why Francis has yet to visit Argentina, spokesperson Burke said that “such details must be left to the Pope”, but underlined that when crossing Argentina air space the telegram would be “interesting”. These words triggered some speculation.
Finally the telegram was normal Vatican protocol, similar to those addressed to the heads of state of the countries the Pope's aircraft overflew: Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, Cape Verde, Senegal, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile.
In the case of Argentina, it was addressed to Your Excellency Mauricio Macri, President of the Argentine Republic in Buenos Aires.
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Read all commentsI just watched a posting of the popes visit. As he passed by a mounted female police officer, her horse threw her and she was injured. This man stopped his “pope mobile” dismounted and walked back to check on her, as she was carried away to the ambulance, he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. I do not believe in god, I am a British 1980's veteran and I have no reason to like Argentinians. When I heard he was to be made pope, I was not happy and I said so, because he was an Argentine. I was wrong, this man is probably the most humane religious leader there as ever been. I take this opportunity to apologise to him and to you the Argentine people. This is a good man and whether you believe or not, you must respect him for his beliefs and more importantly his actions. If there is a god, then perhaps for once, this is his representative on earth.
Jan 19th, 2018 - 06:17 pm +2It was a protocolary message as it is mandatory to any foreign Head of State who, on an official visit, overflies the Argentine territory.
Jan 16th, 2018 - 11:17 am +1The good thing is that the Pope sent the message in English so the whole global community could read it without needing any translation.Sadly, the Argentine Government answered back in Spanish .....
@PE
Jan 16th, 2018 - 09:58 pm 0What on earth was that about?
PS. You are hilariously wrong about pgerman's nationality...
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