The Pope’s plane landed at Vilnius International Airport at 11:30 a.m. The Holy Father took a special Air Italia flight from the Vatican. He is accompanied by an official delegation of the Holy See and some 70 journalists from different countries of Europe and the world.
The state visit of the Pope coincides with two very special occasions for the people of Lithuania: the centennial of national independence and the 25th anniversary of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Lithuania.
Pope Francis, who spreads the message of peace and hope, is a great moral authority to millions of believers around the world. The Holy Father pays special attention to smaller countries and nations. Painful events from Lithuania’s past will also be remembered during the visit. Pope Francis will pay tribute to the victims of Soviet and Nazi occupations, he will meet with freedom fighters, deportees, members of the resistance movement, and Holocaust survivors.
The Guard of Honor of the Lithuanian Army lined up for the ceremony at Vilnius Airport and the national anthems of Lithuania and the Vatican were played. Children presented flowers to the Holy Father. A state delegation led by President Dalia Grybauskaitė welcomed the Pope. The delegation included President Valdas Adamkus, Speaker of the Supreme Council-the Reconstituent Seimas Vytautas Landsbergis, Speaker of the Seimas Viktoras Pranckietis, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, and Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius. Among those who welcomed the Pope at the airport were the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius and representatives of the Catholic Church. Children from catholic schools, their parents and teachers also welcomed the Pope.
Pope Francis will be visiting Vilnius on Saturday and Kaunas on Sunday. The Holy Father will stay in Vilnius from where he will travel to Latvia and Estonia next week. Preparations for the visit took almost a year. Live broadcasts of the visit are available on Lithuanian Radio and Television.
