During the historic visit to the city on the lagoon, the pontiff met with 80 inmates at the Giudecca Women's Prison, “a harsh reality, but a place of moral and material rebirth.” At the Holy See's pavillion for the 2024 Biennale “With My Eyes”, Francis addressed the artists, stressing the “contribution of women”. He also said: “There is joy and suffering that come together in a unique form in women.”
Pope Francis visited the Holy See Pavilion for the famous contemporary art event, the Venice Biennale, housed in the Giudecca's women's prison facility.
By choosing a still operating prison for the Holy See Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, we wanted to go beyond an artistic proposal which, in reality, would only reach the international public of contemporary art.