PHOTO: Pope Francis is greeted by President of the State of Israel Shimon Peres at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv on May 25, 2014. (Courtesy of Splash News)
You don't just roll a staircase out on the tarmac for the Catholic world's spiritual leader.
El AL Israel Airlines is basking in the aftermath of a historic first - the carrier flew Pope Francis and a group of about 100 Vatican officials and journalists back to Rome on Monday after the Pontiff's journey to the Holy Land.
To return him safely to Vatican City took a copious amount of preparation by El Al, starting with the most minute of details - adorning the Boeing 777 with the official coat of arms logo of Pope Francis - to the strictest of security.
"We invested a great deal to ensure that all of the requirements were met and that the flight profile highlighted EL AL's uniqueness, including a handpicked crew that served the flight," said David Maimon, President and CEO of EL AL Israel Airlines.
The captain, Yaron Shimoni, is also the captain of EL AL's 777 fleet and a former Israeli Air Force pilot. Many of the flight attendants were fluent in Italian, Portuguese, French and Spanish, among other languages In addition, EL AL's head chef, Moshe Segev, developed a one-of-a-kind menu highlighting Mediterranean dishes created from the finest Israeli products. During the flight, a video highlighting the historic visit produced by Israel's Channel 2 was screened for their entertainment.
The Pope traveled to Amman, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv during his brief, yet productive, 72-hour trip. After arriving in Jordan on Saturday, His Holiness met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem and attended Mass at the Church of the Nativity. He also made a surprise stop at the West Bank separation barrier. That night, he was greeted at Jerusalem's Ben-Gurion Airport by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres.
PHOTO: In this handout provided by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO), Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accompany Pope Francis as he visits the memorial monument commemorating victims of terrorist acts on Mount Herzl, on May 26, 2014 in Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo by Avi Ohayon - GPO/Getty Images)
While in Jerusalem, the Pope visited the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, laid a wreath at Mount Herzl and visited Yad Vashem.
Before his departure, Francis was presented with two gifts by Maimon, including a selected piece of art created by internationally acclaimed Israeli artist Yaacov Agam entitled, "Faith-Visual Pray." The artwork integrates symbols of Judaism, including the Star of David and the Menorah. Maimon also presented Pope Francis with a published book of greetings and messages collected on social media from EL AL passengers around the world.
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