Vatican City, Oct 12, 2020 / 08:00 am
Pope Francis said Saturday that the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri should inspire people to rediscover the Italian poet's "Divine Comedy."
The pope made the remark in an Oct. 10 address to a delegation from the Italian Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia, in which he announced that he was preparing "a more extensive reflection" on the leading poet of the late Middle Ages to be released next year.
Dante died in exile in Ravenna, northern Italy, in 1321 after completing the "Divine Comedy," which describes the poet's journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven.
A "Year of Dante" was launched in Ravenna Sept. 5 in the presence of Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The year will be marked by events throughout Italy, including in Dante's birthplace of Florence.