分类： society

Venice, Italy – In a poignant revival of a long-dormant tradition, the city of Venice has once again constructed a temporary floating bridge to connect the mainland to San Michele Island, the historic cemetery where luminaries like American poet Ezra Pound and Russian composer Igor Stravinsky rest. This year, the 407-meter (quarter-mile) bridge, known as the ‘Votif’ Bridge, allowed Venetians to walk across the lagoon to pay their respects to the deceased on All Souls’ Day, a Catholic holiday dedicated to honoring the dead.

The tradition, which dates back centuries, originally involved using Venetian ‘peata’ boats lashed together with walking planks. However, the practice was discontinued in the 1950s as public water buses made the island more accessible. After a seven-decade hiatus, the bridge was reintroduced in 2019 using a modern modular pontoon design. Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans to make it an annual event, the city successfully revived the tradition this year.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro emphasized the significance of the bridge, calling it a ‘concrete journey’ that reconnects history with the living. ‘It’s not fake, not philosophical. By foot, over the water, it’s a beautiful route that makes you understand a lot about Venice,’ he said. The bridge, which arches to allow boat traffic, is the longest of Venice’s temporary bridges, surpassing those built for the Feast of the Redentore and the Feast of the Madonna della Salute.

The bridge opened on Thursday, November 1, in anticipation of All Souls’ Day on November 2. Initially reserved for residents, it will open to tourists on Monday. Antonio Vespignani, a local resident, shared his thoughts: ‘I usually don’t go to the cemetery for various reasons, but I’m taking advantage of this very rare circumstance. It’s a way for me to visit my loved ones.’

San Michele Island, established as a cemetery in 1807 under Napoleon’s decree, remains Venice’s principal burial ground despite the city’s population shift to the mainland. The island’s 15th-century church lends its name to the cemetery, which was expanded by filling in a neighboring canal. For visitors like Zhang Miao, a Chinese tourist, the bridge offered a convenient and free return to the mainland after an unexpected visit to the cemetery.

This revival of the floating bridge tradition not only honors the dead but also underscores Venice’s enduring connection to its history and cultural heritage.

A routine railway journey in eastern England turned into a scene of panic and violence on Saturday evening when multiple passengers were stabbed aboard a train bound for London. The incident, which left nearly a dozen people injured, occurred as the train departed Peterborough, midway through its two-hour journey from Doncaster to King’s Cross station. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with bloodied passengers rushing down the aisles to escape the violence. One passenger, Olly Foster, initially mistook the commotion for a Halloween prank until he noticed blood on his hand. “Everyone was really pushing behind us, really panicking,” Foster recounted. Emergency services responded swiftly, with British Transport Police receiving the first calls at 7:42 p.m. Within minutes, dozens of officers, including armed units, and paramedics arrived at Huntingdon station, where the train made an unscheduled stop. Two suspects, described as a 32-year-old Black man and a 35-year-old of Caribbean descent, were arrested within eight minutes of the initial emergency calls. Police used a Taser to subdue one suspect who was reportedly wielding a large knife. While ten victims were hospitalized, two remain in life-threatening condition. Authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive, with the investigation led by British Transport Police. Senior politicians and royalty, including King Charles III and Queen Camilla, expressed their shock and sympathy for the victims and their families. The train remained at Huntingdon station as forensic teams continued their investigation.

In a devastating incident, five German climbers lost their lives after being struck by an avalanche in South Tyrol, northern Italy, as confirmed by rescue officials on Sunday. The tragedy unfolded on Saturday afternoon near the Cima Vertana peak in the Ortles mountains, at an elevation exceeding 3,500 meters (11,500 feet). Three victims—two men and a woman—were recovered lifeless on the same day, while the bodies of a man and his 17-year-old daughter were discovered on Sunday morning. According to Federico Catania, a spokesperson for the Alpine rescue team, the victims were swept to the lower section of the gully where the avalanche occurred. Rescue operations were further complicated by deteriorating weather conditions at higher altitudes. The climbers, divided into three independent groups, were ascending the mountain at an unusually late hour, raising questions about their timing. Two survivors were airlifted to a hospital in Bolzano. South Tyrol, renowned for its mountaineering appeal, particularly among German tourists, has witnessed numerous avalanche-related fatalities over the years. The Ortles region, home to the area’s highest peak at 3,905 meters, is a hotspot for such accidents. Experts attribute the rising number of incidents to increased backcountry exploration following fresh snowfall.

In a significant development in the Louvre jewels heist case, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau revealed on Sunday that two of the suspects had previously been convicted together in a theft case a decade ago. Three of the four alleged members of the heist team are now in custody. The DNA of a 37-year-old man, charged on Saturday, was discovered inside the basket lift used to access the museum’s window. He faces preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy, with a criminal record showing 11 prior convictions, 10 of which were for theft. Similarly, a 39-year-old suspect, charged on Wednesday, has a record of 15 convictions, including two for theft. Beccuau noted that both individuals were involved in the same 2015 theft case in Paris. A 34-year-old man, suspected of being part of the “commando” team, was also charged this week. Additionally, a 38-year-old woman, the longtime partner of the 37-year-old suspect, was charged with complicity. Beccuau highlighted a certain “closeness” among all suspects. While all four are in custody, Beccuau declined to comment on the progress of recovering the stolen jewels. She emphasized that investigators are exploring all possibilities, including the parallel market for selling the jewelry, which could be used for money laundering or trade. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez expressed optimism about the investigation but acknowledged that recovering the loot might take time. He also noted that at least one perpetrator remains at large, along with those who may have ordered the crime.

WARSAW, Poland — On Saturday, Poland observed All Saints’ Day, a deeply cherished Catholic holiday celebrated annually on November 1. The nation paused its daily routines as families gathered to honor their deceased loved ones, transforming cemeteries into vibrant yet solemn spaces of remembrance. Weeks before the event, supermarkets stocked up on candles, while street vendors near cemetery entrances sold chrysanthemums and traditional snacks like ‘obwazanki,’ a type of pretzel. Special bus routes were introduced in cities across the country, directing passengers to major cemeteries. Many urban residents traveled to suburban or rural areas to join their families in visiting ancestral graves. Police deployed special patrols, humorously dubbed ‘Operation Candle,’ to ensure road safety during the holiday. As dusk fell, the graves, illuminated by white and red candles and adorned with colorful flowers, created a poignant scene against the backdrop of autumn leaves, offering warmth and solace on this reflective day.