Coming to theater and Video On Demand on March 31st is a new documentary by filmmaker, Gianfranco Rosi, chronicling the travels of Pope Francis over the last decade.
Made up totally of archival footage of the pontiff’s visits to various places, the film really is a compilation of Francis speaking on those topics which are closest to his heart as he responds to various needs all around the globe.
With a chronological timeline, In Viaggio, begins in Lampedusa when Francis visited in 2013 following the increase in the number of migrants lost at sea while trying to reach the tiny island. While there, the Holy Father speaks of the “globalization of indifference” to the plight of migrants all over the world.
Other travels follow the Pope to the Philippines in 2015 after Typhoon Haiyan; to the United States in 2015 where he addressed Congress; to Iraq in 2021; to Canada in 2022 to apologize and beg for healing and reconciliation in the wake of findings of deplorable abuses in government-run residential schools for indigenous people. And this is not an exhaustive list.
The compilation-style film not only shows what the Holy Father said in various places but also times on the plane where he had to apologize for words that inflamed rather than brought peace. In Chile in 2018, Francis was asked about allegations of sexual abuse cover-ups by hierarchy. He responded by asking that he be brought proof of wrongdoing. When objections were raised, the Pope admitted that the way he expressed himself on that occasion was insensitive and apologized for the hurt he caused.
I can only imagine the hours it took to sift through so much video footage of Pope Francis’s travels and choose the ones included in the film. Rosi has done us all a favor by compiling such an impressive collection that not only reminds us of what it means to be a disciple of Christ and show love for our brothers and sisters, especially the suffering, but also shows us the heart of our leader and shepherd, Pope Francis.
