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Pope calls for negotiating extremity to wars
Pope Francis made his first travel retired of Rome successful 7 months connected Sunday pinch a sojourn to Venice that included an creation exhibition, a extremity astatine a situation and a Mass.
Venice has ever been a spot of contrasts, of breathtaking beauty and devastating fragility, wherever history, religion, creation and quality person collided complete nan hundreds of years to nutrient an otherworldly gem of a city. But moreover for a spot that prides itself connected its civilization of different encounters, Francis' sojourn connected Sunday stood out.
Francis traveled to nan lagoon metropolis to sojourn nan Holy See's pavilion astatine nan Biennale modern creation show and meet pinch nan group who created it. But because nan Vatican decided to equine its grounds successful Venice's women's prison, and invited inmates to collaborate pinch nan artists, nan full task assumed a acold much analyzable meaning, rubbing connected Francis' belief successful nan powerfulness of creation to uplift and unite, and of nan request to springiness dream and solidarity to society's astir marginalized.
Pope Francis prays wrong St. Mark's Basilica successful Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever sojourn to nan lagoon municipality including nan Vatican pavilion astatine nan 60th Biennal of Arts.
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
His travel began astatine nan courtyard of nan Giudecca prison, wherever he met pinch women inmates 1 by one.
"Paradoxically, a enactment successful situation tin people nan opening of thing new, done nan rediscovery of nan unsuspected beauty successful america and successful others, arsenic symbolized by nan creator arena you are hosting and nan task to which you actively contribute," Francis told them.
The 87-year-old pontiff past met pinch Biennale artists successful nan situation chapel, dressed up pinch an installation by Brazilian ocular creator Sonia Gomes of objects dangling from nan ceiling, meant to tie nan viewer's regard upward.
The Vatican grounds has turned nan Giudecca prison, a erstwhile convent for reformed prostitutes, into 1 of nan must-see attractions of this year's Biennale, moreover though to spot it visitors must reserve successful beforehand and spell done a information check. It has go an different creation world darling that greets visitors astatine nan entranceway pinch Maurizio Cattelan's wall mural of two elephantine filthy feet, a activity that recalls Caravaggio's soiled feet aliases nan feet that Francis washes each twelvemonth successful a Holy Thursday ritual that he routinely performs connected prisoners.
The grounds besides includes a short movie starring nan inmates and Zoe Saldana, and prints successful nan situation java shop by onetime Catholic nun and American societal activistic Corita Kent.
Pope Francis is greeted by Gondoliers upon his presence successful Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever sojourn to nan lagoon municipality including nan Vatican pavilion astatine nan 60th Biennal of Arts.
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
Francis' dizzying greeting visit, which ended pinch Mass successful St. Mark's Square, represented an progressively uncommon outing for nan 87-year-old pontiff, who has been hobbled by wellness and mobility problems that person ruled retired immoderate overseas trips truthful acold this year.
"Venice, which has ever been a spot of brushwood and taste exchange, is called to beryllium a motion of beauty disposable to all," Francis said. "Starting pinch nan least, a motion of fraternity and attraction for our communal home."
Pope Francis delivers his connection arsenic he meets pinch young group successful beforehand of nan Church of nan Salute successful Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever sojourn to nan lagoon municipality including nan Vatican pavilion astatine nan 60th Biennal of Arts.
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
During an brushwood pinch young group astatine nan iconic Santa Maria della Salute basilica, Francis acknowledged nan occurrence that is Venice, admiring its "enchanting beauty" and contented arsenic a spot of East-West encounter, but informing that it is progressively susceptible to ambiance alteration and depopulation.
"Venice is astatine 1 pinch nan waters upon which it sits," Francis said. "Without nan attraction and safeguarding of this earthy environment, it mightiness moreover cease to exist."
in nan grounds arsenic circuit guides and arsenic protagonists successful immoderate of nan artworks.
Ahead of his trip, Francis sat down pinch "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell during an hourlong question and reply astatine nan impermanent location wherever he lives successful Rome.
During nan interview, Francis pleaded for bid worldwide amid nan ongoing wars successful Ukraine and Gaza.
"Please. Countries astatine war, each of them, extremity nan war. Look to negotiate. Look for peace," said nan pope, speaking done a translator.
Pope Francis speaks pinch "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell, April 24, 2024.
CBS News
He besides had a connection for those who do not spot a spot for themselves successful nan Catholic Church anymore.
"I would opportunity that location is ever a place, always. If successful this parish nan leader doesn't look welcoming, I understand, but spell and look elsewhere, location is ever a place," he said. "Do not tally distant from nan Church. The Church is very big. It's much than a temple ... you shouldn't tally distant from her."
The pope's Venice travel was nan first of 4 planned wrong Italy successful nan adjacent 3 months, Reuters reported. He is scheduled to sojourn Verona successful May and Trieste successful July, and is expected to be nan June acme of Group of Seven (G7) leaders successful Bari.
In September, he is besides group to embark connected nan longest overseas travel of his papacy, walking to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore.
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An extended type of O'Donnell's question and reply pinch Pope Francis will aerial connected "60 Minutes" connected Sunday, May 19 astatine 7 p.m. ET. On Monday, May 20, CBS will broadcast an hourlong primetime typical dedicated to nan papal question and reply astatine 10 p.m. ET connected nan CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. Additionally, CBS News and Stations will transportation O'Donnell's question and reply crossed platforms.
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