Before leaving Rome for his 35th apostolic trip, Pope Francis met with a group of migrants from Syria, Congo, and Afghanistan who are now living in Italy. Among them were migrants that the Pope brought to Rome after visiting a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, in 2016.
Only three hours later, the red carpet awaited his arrival at Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus, where members of the Cypriot armed forces waited to receive the Pope while bearing the flags of Cyprus and the Holy See.
After landing, the Pope was met on board his plane by the Vatican's ambassador to Cyprus, Archbishop Tito Yllana.
He then slowly made his way down the staircase, where he met the Speaker of Cyprus' House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou. She is the youngest person and first woman to hold her position.
Children outfitted in traditional Cypriot garments gave the Pope flowers as a sign of welcome to their country.
Members of the band began to play as Pope Francis walked down the red carpet.
The Pope then greeted Cypriot officials... as well as members of the local clergy.
-'Welcome to holy land.'
He also stopped to bless a group of Lebanese children living in Cyprus who waved the flags of Lebanon, Cyprus, the Holy See.
-'We love you! We love you!'
Pope Francis met privately with the Speaker for almost 15-minutes, before leaving the airport to travel to Nicosia, Cyprus' capital city, to visit Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, the capital's principal Maronite Catholic church.
JM
