The Italian Consulate in Nice is hosting an exhibition by the artist Lorenzo d’Andrea until June 5, which celebrates the canonization of His Holiness John Paul II through magnificent portraits.
The inauguration took place in the presence of civil and religious authorities and a large audience, among which the Polish Consul, representing the former Pope’s native land, was noted.
For Serena Lippi, the Consul General of Italy: “Among the images that tell us about Pope John Paul II, I find it truly moving, the one where the Pope leans on the cross to receive the strength and support that his now old and tired body can no longer give him.”
In his speech, the deputy mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, wanted to remind the audience of the significance of the images on display: “It is the artist’s role to provoke questioning and a multitude of interpretations,” he said.
He continued: “John Paul II left us with this image: a man of conviction whom nothing, neither the vicissitudes of history nor the sufferings of life, could crush.”
He concluded: “Through your images, you show us that the man John Paul II indeed offered, and still offers, us something to admire and contemplate, that part of divinity that elevates him.”
The pastoral interventions of Archbishop Barsi of Monaco, Bishop Suetta of Ventimiglia-Sanremo, and the Vicar Emeritus of the Nice diocese concluded the evening in an atmosphere of sober conviviality.
