Pope pays surprise visit to Fondazione Roma

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 11 - Pope Francis on Saturday afternoon paid a visit to the headquarters of Fondazione Roma at Palazzo Sciarra Colonna in Rome.
    He was welcomed by the foundation's President, Franco Parasassi, as well as by board members and Director General Renato Lattante, along with their family members, among others, the organization said.
    The pontiff thanked members of the foundation for their charity work and cultural projects and stressed that they are provided free of charge, noting their importance.
    The president of Fondazione Roma also recalled the pope's recent visit to Palazzo Cipolla, which is part of Museo del Corso - Polo museale, on December 8, to admire Marc Chagall's White Crucifixion, a painting beloved by the pontiff.
    He also highlighted the pope's visit on April 12, 2019, to the "Alzheimer Village" set up by Fondazione Roma in the capital's Bufalotta district to assist patients free of charge in a "pioneering approach" for Italy.
    Parasassi noted how, "today, the Fondazione has great responsibilities because everybody is looking at us to deal with increasingly urgent and widespread needs".
    Parasassi spoke to the pontiff about projects implemented in Argentina's Bahia Blanca, in the province of Buenos Aires, in favour of the local population affected by a devastating storm last December, as well as initiatives promoted in Togo, Bethlehem, Lebanon and Ukraine, in favour of war-hit populations, in addition to the foundation's traditional work carried out with Catholic Charity Caritas and the diocese of Rome. (ANSA).