Venice CNN —Pope Francis has become the first pontiff to visit Venice’s contemporary art festival during a trip which saw him visit a female prison and rehabilitate the reputation of a pioneering American nun artist. Francis began his Venice trip by greeting each of the approximately 80 inmates in the prison courtyard, several of whom are involved in the exhibition. For 2024, the Venice Biennale has taken the theme “Foreigners Everywhere” and seeks to highlight artists from marginalized backgrounds. The Venice Biennale was first held in 1895 and takes place every other year, with each country having their own pavilion (the Vatican is the world’s smallest sovereign territory). For 2024, it has taken the theme “Foreigners Everywhere” and seeks to highlight artists from marginalized backgrounds.

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Persons: Venice CNN — Pope Francis, Pope, Chiara Parisi, Bruno Racine, —, Francis, Marco Perego, Zoe Saldaña, Saldana, ” Francis, ” Pope Francis, ”, Corita Kent, Kent –, Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois —, ” Kent, Mary, James McIntyre, Saint Mark, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Maurizio Cattelan, Pope John Paul II Organizations: Venice CNN, Vatican Media, Getty, Immaculate, Vatican, biennale Locations: American, Italian, Venice, Los Angeles, St, Portuguese