Pope Francis travels to Venice on his first journey exterior Rome in seven months resulting from his delicate state of well being | EUROtoday

“Let us not leave aside dignity,” stated this Sunday the Pope Francisco87, throughout a go to to a ladies's jail in Venicein his first journey exterior of Rome in seven months resulting from his delicate state of well being.

The pope, who a couple of weeks in the past had an assault of fatigue that prompted concern in the course of the summer time trip, Easter week, He arrived by helicopter at 8:00 am.

He landed straight within the courtyard of the jail, situated on the island of Giudecca. The jail additionally homes an exhibition of artworks promoted by the Vatican, inside the framework of the sixtieth Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art.

Francisco greets, one after the other, the practically 80 inmates, the executive and penitentiary workers and the volunteers.

In this former convent for girls, now transformed into a jail for inmates with lengthy sentences, The pope, delicate to the scenario of the marginalized and the jail world, requested the penitentiary system to supply “tools and spaces for human, spiritual, cultural and professional growth.”

“Prison is a harsh reality, and problems such as overcrowding, lack of facilities and resources, and violent incidents cause much suffering. But it can also become a place of rebirth (…) where the dignity of women and men is not isolated,” she declared.

“Courage, and keep going! Don't give up,” stated the Pope after receiving as a present merchandise made by the inmates, lots of them moved.

Far from the highlight and the crowds, the exhibition organized by the Holy See is likely one of the most notable of the creative Biennale and affords guests an immersive and disconcerting expertise, by which artworks are mixed with barbed wire. .

Mass in St. Mark's Square

Chiara Parisi, curator of the exhibition, highlighted “the astonishment” and “the hope” of the inmates for this go to.

“By coming, the pope visits those people who strive to play a role even when they are in a very difficult situation,” he stated.

Jorge Bergoglio spoke with the artists who participated within the exhibition and the cultural leaders, gathered within the desecrated jail chapel, and highlighted the position of artwork within the battle towards “racism, xenophobia, inequality and ecological imbalance.”

Later he plans to talk with a gaggle of younger individuals in entrance of the emblematic Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, whose majestic dome dominates the southern entrance of the Grand Canal, two steps from St. Mark's Square.

At 11:00 a.m. preside over an awesome mass within the presence of quite a few political and spiritual leaders after which leaving Venice within the early afternoon.

Francis is the fourth pope to go to the City of the Doges, after Paul VI (1972), John Paul II (1985) and Benedict XVI (2011)

The historical past of the town is intently linked to that of the papacy. In the twentieth century, three patriarchs of Venice grew to become popes.

The diocese of Venice is likely one of the largest on the peninsula, with 125 parishes. The pope's go to coincides with the latest introduction in Venice of an entrance charge of 5 euros ($5.35) for day vacationers.

As a visitor, you’ll not need to pay it however non-resident pilgrims will probably be topic to the tax. After this journey, the Argentine Jesuit plans to make two extra to northern Italy, to Verona in May and Trieste in July.

Francisco had not traveled since his go to to Marseille (France) in September 2023. Bronchitis compelled him to cancel his journey to Dubai in December resulting from his more and more fragile well being.