The Passing of Pope Francis

The President, the Director General, the Director of Legal and Institutional Affairs, Human Resources and Vicariate, the Board of Directors, and La Biennale di Venezia express their profound sorrow for the passing of Pope Francis, the first Pontiff in history to visit La Biennale di Venezia. They remember with deep emotion the extraordinary gesture of closeness made by the Holy Father.

On that occasion, almost a year ago, on April 28, 2024, Pope Francis visited the Holy See Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition, located in the Women’s Prison on the Giudecca Island. The Pavilion was promoted by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, José Tolentino de Mendonça, and titled With My Eyes. During his visit, the Pope met with the prison population and the Ecclesial Community of the Patriarchate of Venice.

The 60th International Art Exhibition, titled Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere and curated by Adriano Pedrosa, focused on artistic expressions that addressed human rights, the marginalized, and the most vulnerable. It reflected on the building of a culture of encounter—an approach that was respectfully considered to be close to the sensibility of Pope Francis.