Pope Francis to go on retreat near Rome

(ANSA) – Vatican City, October 17 – Pope Francis will participate in spiritual exercises next March outside the Vatican at Lake Albano southeast of Rome, the Vatican press office said Thursday. Holding the exercises outside the Vatican is in keeping with the Jesuit practice of performing such prayer practice in a different location from where the member lives, a spokesman said.

Francis is a Jesuit.

The exercises, planned for March 9 to 14, 2014 will be led by Angelo de Donatis, a spiritual leader for priests in Rome.

The practice of performing spiritual exercises at retreats has been seen before, including a Lenten series last February in which former Pope Benedict XVI participated.