Organized by the Society of St. Paul and the diocese of Vicenza, the 13th Festival of the Bible was held this year from 18-28 May 2017 in different towns of the Venice region. Each year, this event centers on a particular theme, which serves as a “golden thread” to help people delve more deeply into the Word of God and enter into dialogue with it. This year’s theme, Festival of the Bible…on the Move, was based on Psalm 84: Happy are those whose hearts are set on pilgrim roads, and thus it sought to highlight both the real and metaphorical aspects of the concept of pilgrimage.
The theme was rendered even more meaningful by the fact that this “portable” Festival was constantly on the move itself over the 10-day period, striving to reach as many people as possible so as to help them grasp the spiritual meaning and great humanity of the Word of God by means of an itinerary rich in conferences, artistic performances, concerts, Bible readings, animations, question-and-answer sessions and many other venues of communication.