Prime Magazine October 2019

FEATURE
Left, right and below © : Toni Rasoarimanana / Presidence de Madagascar
Pope Francis shared
messages of peace
for Madagascar in
which he advocated
Fihavanana
visited the Big Island from
The Pope 6th to 10th September. This
tour was the second trip to sub-Saharan Africa for
Pope François, placing Madagascar as the 48th
country visited by the Pope. The Supreme Pontiff
was welcomed on 6th September at Ivato airport
with military honours in his capacity as Head of State
before welcoming the official delegation led by the
President of the Republic of Madagascar and his wife.
The Pope's welcome then continued with a large
crowd that stretched along the roads to the Apostolic
Nunciature, his place of residence during his stay.
After a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic
at the Iavoloha Palace, the Supreme Pontiff met
with the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic
corps. On that occasion, he spoke of the need for
reconciliation but also stressed the importance of
protecting the environment and preserving cultural
identity in the face of economic globalisation. "The
development of a nation is not reduced to mere
economic growth. To be authentic, it must be integral,"
he said. As a sign of peace and hope, a baobab tree
was symbolically planted by President Andry Rajoelina
and Pope Francis in front of the Ceremony Building of
the Palace.
On 8th September, during a mass given in front of
nearly a million people at the Soamandrakizay site
in the north-west of the capital, Pope Francis shared
messages of peace for Madagascar in which he
advocated Fihavanana (a Malagasy value that evokes
the spirit of sharing, mutual aid and solidarity). He also
called for respect for values such as integrity in the
country and equal opportunities for all citizens.
In the afternoon, a warm and moving welcome was
given to him at the Akamasoa Centre founded by
Father Pedro in Andralanitra, Pope Francis declared:
"Poverty is not a fatality. (...) There is no worse slavery
than living every man for himself".
During these days of his visit, thousands of faithful,
believers and also non-believers did not fail to mark
out the route taken by the papamobile to greet the
266th Pope of the Catholic Church. The papamobile in
question, a Mazana II model of the Karenjy brand, was
designed and fitted out specially by the Malagasy car
brand for the event.
The papal visit was a real opportunity to highlight
this Malagasy know-how as the national airline Air
Madagascar had the honour of organising and carrying
out special flights from Madagascar to Mauritius and
then to Rome for the Supreme Pontiff and the Vatican
delegation and many journalists from the international
press.
Magazine online
www.primemedia.international
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