Welcoming Ceremony in Rome (27 February 1981)

On 27 February 1981, the Holy Father returned to Italy from his Apostolic Journey to  Pakistan, the Philippines, Guam, Japan, and Anchorage, Alaska. The Pope gave the following address on arriving at the Fiumicino Airport.

Minister, 
Cardinals, 
Ambassadors, 
Dear brothers and sisters, 

At the end of this long journey, I first of all feel the need to thank God for the unique ecclesial experience that he allowed me to have. I was able to bring the evangelical announcement to the distant regions of the Far East, where I collected the testimony of faith of the flourishing Christian communities who, under different skies, live in communion with the one Church in Christ. 

My thoughts go to the civil authorities of the countries visited, to renew the expression of my sincere gratitude to them: I will not forget the many demonstrations that they wanted to give me of their consideration and concern in the various places where I went. May the Lord support their every useful initiative aimed at promoting the common good and ensuring true peace. 

The affectionate and moving memory also goes to the venerated brothers in the episcopate, who welcomed me into their Churches with an outpouring of charity, giving me tangible proof of how intense and heartfelt the communion with the Church of Rome. I must say the same thing about the faithful. How can I summarize in a few words the sum of very vivid impressions felt during the numerous meetings with the Christians of the Philippines, the island of Guam, Japan, as well as Karachi and Anchorage? I will only say about the profound joy that direct contact with the spontaneous enthusiasm and genuine enthusiasm of those Churches which, in significantly different socio-cultural contexts, appeared to me to be generously committed to translating the perennial values ​​of the same faith into life. I visited youth communities, grappling with the difficulties inherent to every beginning; and I saw ancient communities, with a rich heritage of Christian traditions to their credit, sealed by the supreme testimony of martyrdom. I wanted to pay homage to this glorious past, and to the hopes it opens up for the future, by adhering to the request to preside on site at the solemn rite of beatification of the Filipino Lorenzo Ruiz and his fellow martyrs, whose example of fearless fortitude remains in the history of those Churches as a luminous point of reference, to which today's generations must relate. 

The stop in Hiroshima and Nagasaki left a particularly profound impression on my soul, in the places that still retain traces of the terrible atomic explosion of 1945. At that moment I felt the anguish of the people, over the which weighs on the terror of the possible repetition of a similar catastrophe. May God hear my prayer, which I addressed to Him, so that in all humanity love may triumph over hatred, life may triumph over death, harmony and peace may definitively prevail over every form of division and war . 

I am sure that these wishes of mine are shared by all of you who, with such kindness, wanted to come and welcome me. In thanking you for this thoughtful gesture of yours, I would like to address my deferential greeting first and foremost to you, Minister Adolfo Sarti, whose noble words I have warmly appreciated, and to the President of the Italian Republic and the government you represent. My greeting then extends to the Cardinals, to the brothers in the Episcopate, to the personalities of the diplomatic corps, to the representative of the Mayor of Rome, to the civil, military and airport authorities, who wanted to give me their cordial welcome: to all, a sincere and respectful “thank you”. 

Finally, I would like to address a word of grateful farewell to the airline managers, the pilots, the staff and all those who worked for the success of the trip: I owe them a comfortable and safe journey. 

In raising a thought of praise and gratitude to God who in his providence has happily led my steps back to this hospitable soil of Italy and Rome, I invoke abundant blessings from Him on you, on your loved ones and on those who I care for. they have generously accompanied with their prayers in this apostolic effort. 

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