Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Pope gets musical welcome to Colombia
BOGOTA, Colombia — Pope Francis received a spirited, symbol-filled welcome to Colombia on Wednesday as he began a five-day visit aimed at helping heal the wounds and divisions left by Latin America’s longest-running armed conflict.
The arriving pope was greeted at Bogota’s military air base by President Juan Manuel Santos and an orchestra mixing classics by Vivaldi and Beethoven with rhythmic music popular along Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
In a gesture likely to mark the deep symbolism of the trip, he was given a commemorative peace dove sculpted by an adolescent youth born in a jungle camp to a rebel father and a politician mother after she was taken captive by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2002. Clara Rojas, now a congresswoman, did not see her son again until 2008 when he was 3.
The first pope from Latin America looked thrilled to be back in Colombia, the first country he visited after he was ordained in 1970.
He smiled widely as he waved from the popemobile to thousands of well-wishers who lined up for hours for a glimpse of the popular pontiff along the 9-mile route from the airport to the Vatican’s embassy.
During his visit, Francis is expected to press Colombian leaders to address the social and economic disparities that fueled five decades of armed rebellion, while encouraging ordinary Colombians to balance their need for justice with forgiveness.
In a video message on the eve of his departure, Francis urged all Colombians to take a “first step” and reach out to one another for the sake of peace and the future.
“Peace is what Colombia has been looking for and working for for such a long time,” he said.