In letter to Argentine president, Pope Francis writes of enduring ties to his native land

July 17, 2013

In a personal letter to Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Pope Francis relayed his best wishes to his countrymen, “for whom I pray daily that they may seek unity and accord for the common good.”

The Argentine president, who had clashed with then-Cardinal Bergoglio in the past, made public the content of a friendly exchange with the Pontiff. In his letter the Pope said that he has continued to drink mate, the traditional Argentine herbal tea. The Pope says “it is always more digestive than either tea or coffee.”

 

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Further information:

• Pope tells Argentina’s president: “I keep drinking mate!” (Vatican Insider)