More than 20 minutes ahead of schedule, the pope's plane arrived in Sweden for his 17th trip.
Aboard the plane, he said, 'It is an important trip because it is an ecclesial journey in the field of ecumenism.'
At the foot of the stairs, the pope waited for Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven, and the Swedish Minister of Culture and Democracy, Alice Bah.
Next, the pope saluted the flag and listened to the anthems. Then there was the presentation of the delegations. The pope has gone to Sweden because it is the headquarters of the Lutheran World Federation, who invited him on this trip. ;
His travel dates are also very important. The pope's visit to Sweden begins exactly 499 years after Luther nailed his 95 Theses against the Roman Catholic Church on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Over the years, most of those 95 Theses have been resolved.
This trip is further proof that the perception the Lutherans have of the pope has changed. Nobody could have imagined years ago that they would unite to celebrate the anniversary together.
