Pope Benedict XVI to Make Advent Visit to Roman Prison

(November 24, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI plans to visit Rome's Rebibbia prison in December, the Vatican said Wednesday. The visit is scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 18, a week before Christmas. The Pope will spend part of the morning of December 18, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, at the prison. The 84-year-old pontiff will arrive at the prison’s central church at 10.00 a.m. to meet with the detainees and answer their questions. At 11.30 a.m. he will also bless a tree planted in memory of his visit and then return to the Vatican, the statement said. Back in 2007, the pope had visited a juvenile prison in Rome following in the steps of is predecessors, beginning with Pope John XXIII. Both John XXIII and Pope Paul VI visited the Regina Coeli Prison in Rome. Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II visited the Juvenile Prison of Casal del Marmo in 1980 and also the Regina Coeli and Rebibbia Prisons. In 1983 during his visit to Rebibbia prison he personally forgave Mehmet Ali Agca who was in jail after attempting to assassinate him. Agca, who shot and wounded Blessed John Paul II in St Peter's Square in 1981, was extradited to his native Turkey in 2000 where he served a prison sentence for a previous conviction.