When Pope Francis and I shared in-flight hearty laughters

Pope Francis with Fatima Khaled Al Najem, Bahrain News Agency reporter, during his flight back to Rome, after his apostolic journey to Bahrain (Pool via REUTERS)

By Fatima Al Najem
Bahrain News Agency

MANAMA: Although I have read and heard about Cloud 9, I have never fully understood its significance. That is until I flew on the Papal Plane from Bahrain to Rome.

I had not anticipated the scene, but I eventually found myself sitting with Pope Francis for a question that turned into an in-flight conversation.

Here I am high in the air sitting a couple of feet away from the world’s most famous man who presided a Mass at Bahrain National Stadium that brought 30,000 people, some of whom had come into Bahrain from far away, while thousands more were watching it live since there were no tickets left.

And the best part was the hearty laughter we shared and a most memorable request from the Pope at the end of our conversation: “Pray for me, not against me”.

I had never thought that in my life I will ever see a Pope from a short distance, let alone get close to him, even if it is for fleeting seconds.

I had never anticipated that the leader of the Catholic Church would engage with me in a light exchange of ideas and that we would share laughter.

But it did happen. God had willed it to happen.

I was among a group of journalists who were assigned to travel to the Vatican for coverage and to fly back on the Papal plane.

The opportunity was excellent and I immediately felt fortunate and grateful. At the Vatican, we made our reports while visiting the famous place.

Pope Francis answers the questions of Fatima Khaled Al Najem, Bahrain News Agency reporter, during his flight back to Rome after his apostolic journey to Bahrain (Pool via REUTERS)

On the flight to Bahrain, we saw the Pope and shook hands with him. He was obviously an affable man who commanded great respect.

He was on his first trip to Bahrain where he spent four days holding meetings with Muslims and Christians, presided over a Mass and visited two Catholic churches and one Catholic school.

Under the Vatican protocols, we the journalists flew back to Rome on the Papal plane.

When I saw an opportunity to ask him a question as he invariably sat with the media traveling with him, I did not hesitate and made sure I would be the first to sit with him.

However, with a courage that I never felt or knew I had, I did not start with the question and engaged in a light comment.

To my great surprise, he engaged with me, and we shared our first laughter.

I then asked my question and he answered, clearly stressing his arguments and points.

Pope Francis and I share a hearty laughter on the Papal plane

And the in-flight conversation ended with:

“Me: Thank you, Your Holiness, I pray to Allah the Almighty, to bless you with good health, happiness and a long life!

Pope Francis: Yes, pray for me, not against me!”

Again, he engaged in a hearty fatherly laughter.

It was the second laughter we shared in a matter of minutes.

I was on Cloud 9.