The "Bible-thon" Goes Live

Begun within the hour by the Pope (above, doing his part from the Apartment), Italy's RAI has provided a livestream link to its aforementioned weeklong live broadcast of the reading of the Scriptures.

With the event's venue of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme open to the public, a sizable crowd's shown up... right now, they're spilling out the doors.

SVILUPPO: Below, B16's reading of Genesis 1...



...and, while we're at it, Genesis 5 and 6 as delivered by the great Roberto Benigni:



(Unfortunately, the text offered the Oscar-winner no chance to let loose a "Bongiorno, Principessa!" But, alas, such is life.)

PHOTO: Reuters

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