Vatican City, Apr 15, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Vatican Press office announced on Friday, that owing to the strenuous liturgical ceremonies of Holy Week and Easter, Pope John Paul took Thursday afternoon off when he left the Vatican for several hours on an unannounced excursion to Altipiani di Arcinazzo.
Located in the Italian region of Lazio, 45 miles east of Rome, Altipiani di Arcinazzo is known for its two peaks, Mount Altuino and Mount Scalambra, and for its archaeological ruins, including the vast and imposing ruins of the villa of the Roman Emperor Trajan.
The nearby town of Arcinazzo Romano is home to about 1,500 people.