Speech of His Excellency José Eduardo dos Santos, President of the Republic of Angola, on the occasion of the arrival of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the airport.
Luanda, March 20 th, 2009
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI,
Illustrious entourage that escorts His Holiness,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
When stepping for the first time on Angolan ground, I wish you on behalf of the Angolan people the warmest welcome, expecting that Your Holiness and all your entourage feel so well in Angola as in the Vatican.
It is with great expectation that this visit is expected among us. Thousands of people from all over the country volunteered to help the political and religious authorities in preparation for the reception to Your Holiness.
That is symptom that they recognize in your person, the supreme representative of the Catholic Church and that they wait with anxiety the message of hope and faith that you will transmit them.
I am, for this reason, convinced that Your Holiness will be the target of many manifestations of appraisal and affection from all Angolans, who will do everything in their reach to give your visit the dimension, elevation and projection that it deserves.
For us, that identify ourselves with the universal values that the Church knew in a patient and educative form take to the most recondite corners of our planet, is also with great joy that we receive Your Holiness.
Deep down we all concur for the accomplishment of the same ideal, that is consolidating a spiritually harmonic and tolerant Nation, capable of assuming its responsibility in defence of honour and human dignity, justice, solidarity, freedom and universal peace.
In fact, those values provide the reconstruction of a new life and in this point a Church, specially the Catholic, being the one that congregates a bigger number of followers, has a relevant role to perform.
This role that also has been assumed in the constants appeals to peace, reconciliation and also in the recovery of the social fabric, through the broadcasting of ethical, moral and civic principles, deeply hit by the long armed conflict.
The national reconstruction in Angola passes necessarily by the rehabilitation of the Angolan men in its fullness, making it the starting and finishing point of all social activity in which the objective is the fair and legitimate satisfaction of its social and spiritual needs.
Today the signs of reconstruction in Angola are already visible and we can say that the benefits of peace are already being felt the life of each citizen to a greater or lesser extent.
But this is only the start, because we know there is still a long way ahead to create well-being for all.
Happily there has always been among us a hope feeling to which is not foreign the role of the Church, their shepherds and the understanding of the State of Vatican, with who we keep the best relations.
I reiterate my welcoming votes to Angola and expect that all your expectations on the faith and religiosity of the Angolan People and their availability to defend the peace and harmony among the nations of the all world.
