The president and his wife welcomed pope Francis once again, this time, in the Plaza of the Nariño House, while the singer Fonseca performed a hymn of hope with his song “Puede ser.”
Before his speech, some moving images were seen, like the one of this kneeling man asking for the pope's blessing, or of one of the sick people he blessed along the way.
The Colombian president welcomed the pope with these words:
JUAN MANUEL SANTOS
President of Colombia
“We trust that his visit can open the heart and minds of Colombians to the peace that comes from God and lives within the souls of men. To that peace which we are now building. FLASH Welcome to Colombia, His Holiness.”
During his his first intervention in Colombia, the pope was direct. He recalled the words of the his first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. He particularly noted the part in which he says that the more difficult the path to peace is, the more effort must be put into appreciating one another.
FRANCISCO
“I wanted to come here to say that you are not alone, that there are many of us that want to share this path with you. That this effort can make us flee from all temptation for revenge and the search for only personal and short-term interests.”
After the encounter, the pope and President Santos entered the palace, as chiefs of state, to meet in private, as the protocol orders.
