The Vatican is to set up its own charter airline service to fly pilgrims to shrines and holy sites.
The first flight, which is already sold out, takes off from Rome at the end of August and will fly to Lourdes.
Other routes to places of pilgrimage around the world are also expected to be introduced.
These could include Fatima in Portugal, Santiago di Compostella in Spain and the sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.
Specalist cabin crew will man the Mistral Air planes, the interiors of which will be decorated with sacred inscriptions.
