.- Pope Benedict XVI will attend a special screening of the new television miniseries, “Augustine, The Decline of the Roman Empire,” based on the life of the doctor of the Church and bishop of Hippo, this afternoon in the Swiss Hall at Castel Gandolfo.
According to L’Osservatore Romano, the screening of the miniseries will take place at 5:30pm local time.
Christian Duguay, who directed the series, also directed the films “Joan of Arc” and “The Art of War.”
French actor Franco Nero plays an elderly St. Augustine, while Alessandro Preziosi plays the saint as a youth. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, is played by Monica Guerritore.
The miniseries is part of the “Imperium” project by the Italian production company Lux Vide, which is also planning a remake of “Ben Hur.” Duguay, together with other American filmmakers, will produce the new version.
