Pope Francis visits his cousin-sister at his family’s place of origin, in north Italy
Pope Francis visited his cousin-sister and relatives at his family’s place of origin in Asti, in the northern part of Italy, on November 19.
The Pope traveled to Asti by helicopter and arrived there before noon on November 19.
The first day of his visit is strictly private because he visited his cousin Carla Rebezzana on November 19, as she celebrates her 90th birthday, in Portacomaro, in the province of Asti, Italy.
Rebezzana and the other cousins prepared a roast, lots of vegetables, and the cocoa-based pudding which is typical of the Piedmontese cuisine for lunch.
Pope Francis had lunch with his cousin to celebrate her 90 birthday although her birthday was on November 8.
He met with other relatives during his visit, including Delia Gai from hamlet of Tigliole and Nella Bergoglio.
On Sunday, the Pope offered Mass for the Solemnity of Christ the King at the Cathedral of Asti.
He visited the place where his father, Mario Josè Bergoglio lived before migrating from Italy to Argentina in 1929.
His maternal grandparents' origin is also from northern Italy. His mother Regina Maria Sivori is also from an immigrant family.
In 1936, Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Pope could speak the dialect of Piedmont, the dialect spoken in the northern part of Italy, which he learned in Buenos Aires from his paternal grandmother, Rosa Margherita Vassallo. - With inputs from Vatican News and Catholicnewsagency
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