Pope leaves for Chile and Peru

Source: Vatican News Service

Pope Francis departs from Rome's Fiumicino Airport for his Apostolic Journey to Chile and Peru. He sent the following message to the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, which reads:

"As I leave Rome to travel to Chile and Peru in order to support the mission of the local Church, and to bring a message of hope, it is important to me to offer my respectful greetings to you, Mr President, to which I add my fervent best wishes for the spiritual, civil, and social well-being of the Italian people, upon whom I willingly bestow my Apostolic Blessing."

After his 16-hour flight, Pope will arrive Santiago around 8pm local time and be taken to the residence of the apostolic nuncio where he will be staying. Tomorrow Pope Francis will celebrate Mass in Santiago and visit a women's prison. The day after he will go to Temuco, which has a large indigenous population. During the visit to Chile there will be a gathering with young people and a visit the northern port city of Iqique.

Before the flight, the Holy Father went to pray before the icon of the Virgin Mary Salus Populi Romani in Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

Four Catholic churches in Santiago were attacked by small firebombs last week. No one was injured. The government has pledged to lay on extra security during the Papal visit.

Watch the Vatican News video here: www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-01/pope-departs-for-apostolic-visit-to-chile-and-peru.htm