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Papal visit: Pope Francis lands in Abu Dhabi for historic first Gulf trip

The pontiff’s three-day tour is aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue and writing a ’new page’ in history between religions. Flight carrying Pope Francis lands in Abu Dhabi. The Papal flight landed at Abu Dhabi airport at 9:50pm on Sunday.Pope Francis makes a historic visit to the UAE on Sunday. Ahead of his visit, Khaleej Times travels to Rome and the Vatican for coverage.Pope Francis landed in Abu Dhabi on a rare wet evening in the Emirati capital on Sunday to begin a historic three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates in what was the first by a leader of the Roman Catholic Church to the Arabian Peninsula.

He touched down in his “Shepherd One” aircraft – an Alitalia Boeing B777 on which The National was aboard – at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport at 9.47 p.m. local time.

Arriving in the UAE for the landmark trip, the Pope sent a strong message about the importance of religious tolerance, a message which he will carry throughout his trip.

Messages of welcome have been exchanged between the Pope and the rulers of the UAE over the days leading up to the historic visit.

"We warmly welcome you Holy Father, Pope Francis," Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed wrote on Twitter.

"It is with immense joy that I prepare to meet and greet the children of [UAE Founding Father Sheikh] Zayed in the land of Zayed," the Pope said in a video message in advance of the visit.

The pontiff flew to Abu Dhabi on a special Alitalia flight – the national airline of Italy – during which he met the press and sent blessings to the countries he flew over.

His telegram to the King of Saudi Arabia read:

"To his majesty Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. I offer best wishes and the assurance of my prayers as many journey to the United Arab Emirates takes me over Saudi Arabia. Entrusting your majesty and the people of Saudi Arabia to the almighty, I willingly invoke upon you the blessings of joy and peace."

Leaving Rome airport at approximately 4:30pm on Sunday, the Pope travelled across the Mediterranean, then over Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Over three days the Pope will celebrate interfaith relations and host a public mass for Catholics living in the Arabian Peninsula, approximately one million of which live in the UAE.

On Monday, the first full day of his landmark trip, Pope Francis will meet with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, at the Presidential Palace before holding interfaith meetings, including a private gathering with the Muslim Council of Elders at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. He will then head to the mosque’s courtyard to visit the tomb of the late founding father of the UAE.

On Tuesday, he will take part in a private visit to St Joseph’s Cathedral before hosting a public outdoor mass at Zayed Sports City, which is expected to draw a crowd of 120,000.The humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the fragile UN-brokered truce formed a key part of a speech Pope Francis made before he departed for Abu Dhabi.

"I’ve followed with great concern the humanitarian crisis in Yemen," the pontiff said from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace at The Vatican, adding "the population is exhausted by the long conflict and many children are suffering from hunger, but are unable to access food supplies ... I call on the parties involved and the international community to urgently observe the agreements and assure the distribution of food and work for the good of the population."