Pope Francis has sent another letter to
Argentina’s President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, to thank her for
the courteous letter of good wishes that she sent him on June 15 for
‘The Day of the Pope.”
The President revealed his on July 16 by publishing on her twitter account a photo of the Pope’s very personal letter to her, in which he asked her to extend his good wishes to his compatriots back in Argentina.
Taking his cue from the familiar way she had written to him, Pope Francis who once taught literature began the letter in a similarly personal style, addressing her as ‘Cristina’.
He thanked her for her January 15 letter, and said, “May the Lord reward your kindness for having written it yourself”. Then in a humorous vein, he told her he was curious to know “the model letter” that seemed to come from the 13th century that she said her aides had originally proposed she send to him.
Then the Pope who once collected postage stamps thanked her also for the commemorative set of Argentina-Vatican stamps that she had sent him some time back.
On a more personal note, he recalled that when they had met in the Vatican at the time of his inauguration, he had promised that he would ‘remember” her in his prayers. In the letter, he confirmed that he is following through on that promise: “I remember you, your children and your dead ones in my prayers.”
As he does with everyone, so too with the President, he asked, “Please do not forget to pray for me; the work (here) is not at all easy!”
In her letter she had encouraged him to drink mate, the famous Argentinean Yerba herbal drink. In his response, he confirmed: “I continue drinking mate: it is always more digestive than either tea or coffee”.
Ever thinking of his homeland - some 14 hours flight from Rome, Pope Francis asked the President “to convey my affection and my closeness to all the Argentineans, for whom I pray daily that they may seek unity and accord for the common good”.
He concluded his letter with a prayer and blessing for her, saying: “May Jesus bless you, and may the Holy Virgin protect you!” He signed it with his name as pope - “Francis”.
Click here to read the original letter.