The last time the Pope traveled to the French city of Marseille was last September.
Arriving by helicopter in the courtyard of the women’s prison on Giudecca Island, Francis greeted 80 inmates, staff and volunteers one by one. The pope, who has defended prisoners and the marginalized throughout his pontificate, urged women to rebuild their lives “brick by brick, together, with determination.”
“Prison is a cruel reality, and problems such as overcrowded rooms, lack of infrastructure and resources, episodes of violence cause a lot of suffering,” the Pope said while sitting in front of the female prisoners.
“However, it can become a place of moral and material rebirth…”, he added.
Francis called on the prison system to “give prisoners the means and space for human, spiritual, cultural and professional development, creating conditions for their healthy reintegration.”
The Pope also visited the art exhibition set up in the prison, where 10 different artists’ works are exhibited, reflecting the daily life of the prisoners. The exhibition is the Vatican’s contribution to this year’s art biennial festival, which began last weekend.
Francis’ visit is “historic because he will be the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale,” said Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, the exhibit’s chief curator.
Last December, due to bronchitis, the Pope was forced to cancel a trip to Dubai, where he was supposed to speak at the United Nations (UN) climate change talks. In March, he refused to attend Easter Mass at the last minute. According to the Vatican, Francis had previously been suffering from a “mild flu” for several weeks.
During his one-day visit to Venice, Pope Francis will celebrate mass at St. St. Mark’s Square.
The Vatican is planning a 12-day tour of Asia for the Pope in September – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore. Before that, the Pope should go to Italy twice – in May to Verona and in July to Trieste.
