Pope Francis is greeted by a representative of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada upon his arrival in Edmonton, Alberta on July 24, 2022 at the beginning of his six-day visit to Canada. / Vatican MediaEdmonton, Canada, July 24, 2022 / 4:04 p.m. (CNA).
Pope Francis arrived in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday to begin his six-day visit to Canada.
During his trip across the country, the 85-year-old pope is expected to meet and apologize to Indigenous Canadians for abuses at church-run residential schools. The Pope’s itinerary includes stops in Edmonton, Quebec and Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. He returns to Rome on Saturday July 30.
After a flight from Rome that lasted more than 10 hours, the pope was greeted at Edmonton International Airport by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other dignitaries.
Pope Francis hosted representatives of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in an airport hangar.
The pope made no public remarks at the airport, but before his departure on Sunday, he tweeted the following message: “Dear brothers and sisters of #Canada”, the pope tweeted before his departure, “I come among you to meet the indigenous peoples. I hope, with the grace of God, that my penitential pilgrimage can contribute to the path of reconciliation already undertaken. Please accompany me in #prayer.
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