Edmonton, 25 July, 2022 / 1:30 pm (ACI Africa).
Pope Francis arrived in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday to begin his six-day visit to Canada.
During his cross-country journey, the 85-year-old pope is expected to meet with and apologize to indigenous Canadians for abuses committed at Church-run residential schools. The pope’s itinerary includes stops in Edmonton, Quebec City, and Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. He returns to Rome on Saturday, July 30.
Following a flight from Rome that lasted more than 10 hours, the pope was greeted at Edmonton International Airport by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other dignitaries.
Pope Francis greeted representatives of Canada's indigenous peoples inside an airport hangar.
The pope made no public remarks at the airport, but prior to his departure Sunday he tweeted the following message: “Dear brothers and sisters of #Canada,” the pope tweeted before his departure, “I come among you to meet the indigenous peoples. I hope, with God's grace, that my penitential pilgrimage might contribute to the journey of reconciliation already undertaken. Please accompany me with #prayer.”
