The plane carrying Benedict XVI took off exactly at nine o’clock am, making for Ankara, where it will land at about 1 pm. The apostolic journey of the Pope started in that way. The Pope will stay in Turkey for four days. Yesterday evening, the president of the Turkish bishops, Mngr. Ruggero Franceschini, declared to Sir: "I will tell the Pope about a local Church trying to witness the Gospel in silence. We don’t want to convert anybody, but just ourselves. Our hope is that those who are searching will be helped by our account. Here in Turkey, there are plenty of good people. I will hug the Pope and that will be the hug of all our local Church".
