International
Fragile pope back on the road with day trip to Venice
VENICE - Pope Francis travels to Venice on April 28 for his first trip of the year, testing his mobility and resilience after a number of health scares in recent months. It will be the 87-year-old pope's first visit to the lagoon city since his 2013
It will be the 87-year-old pope's first visit to the lagoon city since his 2013 election and he will also be the first pontiff to visit the Venice Biennale - a prestigious art show with exhibitions sponsored by numerous nations in myriad spaces.
The Vatican's exhibition has been set up in a women's prison and the pope will kick off his trip early on April 28, flying directly into the Giudecca jail by helicopter from the Vatican to view the show entitled Through My Eyes.
It features creations by nine contemporary artists who worked closely with inmates on the project.
The unusual decision to house the Holy See pavilion in the jail highlights Francis' repeated calls for society to rally around the poor and neglected, including prison populations. He has regularly visited detention centres during his papacy.
