JOHN PAUL II EMBARKS ON 87TH FOREIGN PASTORAL TRIP

VATICAN CITY, JUN 5, 1999 (VIS) - Pope John Paul left Rome's Fiumicino Airport at 9 this morning and, after a flight of nearly three hours, arrived at the port city of Gdansk in his native Poland, thus starting his 87 foreign apostolic trip. Gdansk, famous for its shipyards, is the country's sixth largest city.

Poland's highest ranking religious and civil authorities were at Rebiechowo Airport to meet the Holy Father. In his talk to them at the welcome ceremony, he said that "this pilgrimage to my homeland is as it were an extension of previous visit in 1997."

He noted that among the reasons for his pilgrimage are the conclusion of the Second Plenary Synod of the Church in Poland, which began in 1991 and "the celebration of the millennium of the establishment by Pope Sylvester II of the Independent Metropolitan See of Gniezno, composed of four dioceses: Gniezno, Kolobrzeg, Wroclaw and Krakow."

"I am pleased," said the Pope, "that this pilgrimage begins in Gdansk, a city which has a place forever in the history of Poland, of Europe, and perhaps even of the whole world. In fact, it was here that the voice of consciences was heard in a particular way, calling for respect for human dignity, especially of workers, a voice calling for freedom, justice and solidarity between people. This cry of consciences roused from slumber rang out with such force as to make room for the yearned-for freedom, which has become and continues to be for us a great task and challenge for today and the future."

"It was precisely in Gdansk that a new Poland was born, which gives us so much and of which we are so proud. I notice with joy that our country has made great progress on the path of economic development. Thanks to the efforts of all its citizens, Poland can look to the future with hope. In the last few years our country has earned particular recognition and the respect of other nations of the world. For all of this, blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ! I pray unceasingly that Poland's material development will increase at an equal rate with its spiritual development."

Following the welcome ceremony, Pope John Paul went to the residence of the archbishop of Gdansk where he had lunch with the bishops of the province as well as the cardinals and bishops of the papal entourage.

PV-POLAND;ARRIVAL;...;GDANSK;VIS;19990607;Word: 410;