Pope Ends Tour Of Latin America

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 13

Pope Ends Tour Of Latin America

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) BOGOTA (Colombia), August 24. Pope Paul left by air for Rome tonight after the first Papal visit to Latin America. Hundreds of thousands of cheering Colombians gave him a tumultuous farewell.

In a farewell speech, the Pope said he returned to Rome “filled with consolation and hope” and with serene confidence in “the constant loyalty of Colombia and Latin America to its Christian and historical vocation.”

The 70-year-old Pontiff was smiling as he climbed the steps into his special airliner, which will make a brief refuelling stop in Bermuda. But dark rings round his eyes betrayed his fatigue after a taxing three-day programme in and around Bogota, set high in the Andean mountains.

On his way to the airport the Pontiff made a final visit to the open-air site of the International Eucharistic Congress and blessed 25 newly-

wed couples before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. As the smiling brides and grooms knelt before the Pope, he chatted with them, blessed them, and gave each a rosary. The newly-weds included an Indian girl with long, black pigtails and wearing native costume.

Wildly cheering Colombians waving handkerchiefs lined the last stretch of road to the airport, and many pelted his car with flowers.