Pope Francis will visit Asti, Italy, on 19 November to celebrate his cousin’s 90th birthday. This was announced today, 19 October 2022, by the bishop of the diocese himself, Monsignor Marco Prastaro, at a press conference.

The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed the announcement of the Prefecture of the Papal Household: on the afternoon of Saturday 19 November, on the occasion of his cousin’s 90th birthday, the Holy Father will travel to the aforementioned Italian city.

Likewise, according to the Prefecture’s note, on Sunday 20 November, the Solemnity of Christ the King, Pope Francis will preside at the Eucharist at 11 am in the cathedral of Asti. There he will meet with the diocesan community from which his parents left for Argentina. In the afternoon, the Pontiff will return to the Vatican.

“We are very happy with this news,” Mgr Prastaro told local media ATNews, “we will do everything we can to welcome Pope Francis, while respecting the wishes of the private part of the visit.

“It is up to us to welcome the Pope and make him feel at home”, was the prelate’s comment at a press conference, in which he invited everyone to live the expectation of this visit as a strong time of communion and fraternity.