Pope to spend July 13-29 vacation in northern Italy

(June 8, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI will spend his annual mountain vacation in Les Combes, a village in Italy's northwestern Alps July 13-29. General audiences will not be held during that period, but the pope will pray the Angelus with the public in nearby towns of Romano Canavese on July 19 and in Les Combes on July 26, the Vatican has said. After his stay in the Alps, the pope will go directly to the papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome. Popes generally stay at Castel Gandolfo until late September. All private audiences are suspended during the summer period, the Vatican said. While the pope is at Castel Gandolfo, he will recite the Angelus on Sundays with visitors gathered in the villa's courtyard. The pope is scheduled to resume his weekly general audiences at the Vatican starting Aug. 5, travelling between Castel Gandolfo and the Vatican by helicopter.