Rome: Pope Francis will visit the UAE for the first time in history today. On February 3 last year, Pope Francis took a special Papal flight from Rome’s Fumicino Airport to Rome. The pope arrived at Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen presidential airport late at night and received a royal welcome. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other prominent royal family members have arrived at the airport.
The official visit began the next day. February 4. Pope presented military reception with military honors at Presidential Palace. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saeed al-Nahyan then held discussions. The Pope delivered a speech at the Interfaith Conference at Abu Dhabi Founders Memorial that evening. The message is reflected in the call to move the world in peace and tolerance. The meeting was held at the Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi and a meeting with members of the Muslim Council of Elders.
The next day was the day that tens of thousands of Christians, including Gulf Malayalees, waited. The pope visited Abu Dhabi Cathedral around 10 am. The pope extended his love and prayers to those suffering from various ailments. Thereafter, at the Abu Dhabi Saeed Sports City Stadium, where more than 150,000 believers participated in the Community Divine Sacrifice, which was conducted by the Pope. When Pope finally returned home to the Vatican in the evening, it was an invaluable memory for the one million Catholics in the Gulf. The fact that the pope’s visit is over a year has yet to be realized.
