POPE RECALLS THAT HE BEGAN HIS TRAVELLING APOSTOLATE IN MEXICO

VATICAN CITY, JUL 30, 2002 (VIS) - After a brief farewell ceremony, John Paul II departed at 4:30 p.m. local time (12:30 a.m. on Wednesday July 31, Rome time) from the international airport in Guatemala City for Mexico City where he landed approximately 2 hours later after covering 1,050 kilometers.

At 7:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. on Wednesday July 31, Rome time), the Pope arrived at the airport in Mexico City where he was received by the president of the republic, Vicente Fox, and by political and civil authorities, and representatives from the diplomatic corp. The archbishop of Mexico City, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, archbishop of Monterrey, Cardinal Adolfo Antonio Suarez Rivera and Archbishop Luis Morales Reyes of Potosi, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference, also participated in the welcome ceremony. It is the fifth time that John Paul II has visited Mexico. His previous trips were in 1979, 1990, 1993 and 1999.

The Holy Father addressed those present recalling that in their "hospitable land" he had begun his "travelling apostolate that ... has brought me to so many parts of the world, drawing me near to many men and women to confirm them in the faith of Jesus Christ, Savior."

Afterward, John Paul made reference to the new saints and blesseds of the Latin American continent, Pedro de San Jose Betancur, Juan Diego, Juan Bautista and Jacinto de los Angeles who "join in this way," he explained, "the beautiful examples of holiness in these beautiful American lands, where the Christian message has been welcomed with an open heart, has permeated its cultures and has reaped abundant fruits."

At the end, the Pope thanked Mexicans for their "constant affection" and their "faithfulness to the Church" and he added: "I bless each one of you from my heart in the way that your forefathers used to bless their loved ones; 'May God make you like Juan Diego.'"

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