The second plane arrived yesterday afternoon at Beja Airport from Forli, neighboring city of Bologna, transported about two hundred Italians for the World Youth Day (JMJ2023) full of dreams of getting to know Lisbon and Fátima, but above all see Pope Francis.
Before landing in the Alentejo capital, o Boeing 737-446 of Air Mediterranean flew over the Alqueva dam and made the approach to the Air Base runway (BA) 11, towards south / north, “showing” the city of Beja to transalpines. “The flight was wonderful. We flew over the big lake and in the city we saw a very beautiful castle”, confided to Lidador NotĂcias (LN), Lorenzo Venerucci, who traveled from Forli, with Catherine, the woman, and the four children, all under 2, 4, 9 and 11 year old.
At the airport, the Veneruccis arrived with three carts loaded with bags and suitcases.. “We are going to stay at a campsite and we have brought almost the entire house. It is our first time in Portugal and we want to get to know Lisbon and if possible go to Fátima one day”, justified Lorenzo. “When I was invited to make this pilgrimage, we thought first of our children. It is important to hear and if possible see the Pope, to learn to be better men.”, revealed smiling.
From Return, on the outskirts of Forli, two great friends came, Madalena, of 17 years and Catarina, of 20 year old, who are excited about the Journey and coming to Portugal. “For us it is the first visit and the enthusiasm is very great. Let's stay in Sobral de Monte Agraço, out of lisbon, Madalena in a pavilion with hundreds of young people from other countries and I, as I am older, stay in a host family in the same land”, told the older Italian women happily.
The management of Beja Airport spared no efforts to welcome all visitors with open arms and in the good Alentejo manner., having reinforced the presence of PSP agents and the Portuguese Red Cross health team, for any eventuality that occurred to the pilgrims.
Who did not stop was Father Andrea Carubia, the parish priest of the Italian city, responsible for organizing the arrival of nearly four hundred Italians from that region to WYD2023, who, after the arrival of the first plane, took a motorhome to Lisbon to take the Bishop of Forli, Don Livio Corazza, and guide the three buses that transported the transalpine delegation, returned to Beja to receive the pilgrims and lead them to the capital.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
