SW News: The Holy Father began his 41st Apostolic Visit outside Italy on Friday, April 28, by visiting the Hungarian capital Budapest. The ITA Airways A320 Neo aircraft carrying Pope Francis and his entourage landed at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport at 11.54 AM local time.

Present on the tarmac were government and ecclesiastical dignitaries led by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen and Cardinal Peter Erdo of Budapest respectively. Also present were the military top brass and Metropolitan Fulop Kocsis of the Hungarian Greek Catholic Church and the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Michael Wallace Banach. The Holy Father disembarked from the plane using a hydraulic lift and walked to the red carpet with the assistance of a cane.

The Vice Prime Minister welcomed the pontiff to the Central European nation on behalf of the head of state. Two children in ethnic attire welcomed in the traditional manner by offering him bread and salt. He blessed them and tasted a small morsel before greeting other dignitaries. As he exchanged pleasantries with the government top brass and the prelates, several children waved the flags of Hungary and the Vatican.

After the brief ceremony on the tarmac, the pope got into his trademark popemobile, the white Kia Soul, to travel to Sandor Palace in Budapest to pay a courtesy visit to President Katalin Novak and Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Later during the day, the pope will address members of civil society, government dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps at the former Carmelite Monastery which is the headquarters of the Prime Minister.

In the Vatican entourage were Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States within the Holy See's Secretariat of State.