President Luis Abinader and family at the Vatican

[Dolores]

President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje invited Pope Francisco to visit the Dominican Republic during their visit with the Pope at the Vatican. The Abinader-Arbaje family gifted the Pope with a rosary crafted in larimar, the native blue precious stone.

During the meeting at the Vatican with the Pope and high officials of the Vatican, President Luis Abinader attended with Dominican Ambassador to the Holy See, Luis Montalvo Arzeno and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Relations Jose Julio Gomez, who traveled from the Dominican Republic to represent the Ministry of Foreign Relations during the President’s state visits during his trip to Europe.

President Abinader gave the Pope the larimar rosary with an explanatory note that read: “This Holy Rosary is a unique piece that we humbly present to His Holiness Pope Francis. Its beads are made...

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[NALs]

The last Pope to visit the DR on an official trip was John Paul II (who was Polish.) In fact, he visited on two occassions. The pope mobil next to the Faro a Colón was used by him.

The current Pope is Argentinian and has been a Pope for a while and never visited the DR. He can actually give the mass in Spanish. SMH

The DR received much support from the Catholic Church in its creation and it’s the official religion even if it holds freedom of religion and belief (though technically, atheism is still “illegal” in the DR.) Santo Domingo probbly has the most buildings, parks, etc that look in part like the Latin cross built on purpose. The Plaza de la Bandera is probably the largest Latin cross in the Western Hemisphere and that was built by the government. The DR should be the first place a Pope visits in the Western Hemisphere.

 

[FF1]

El suegro.