Pope Benedict XVI read a passage from the start of the Book of Genesis on Italian TV today.

The Pope’s reading was the first segment of a week-long, round-the-clock Bible-reading marathon on Italy’s RAI network.

The event is timed to coincide with the first week of the World Synod of Bishops.

The Holy Father’s Bible reading was broadcast from the papal apartments in the Vatican. Other readers, who will include participants in the synod, are reading their Bible passages at Rome’s Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.

RAI is providing a live feed of the Bible readings on the Internet.

The reader immediately following the Pope was a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church and the third was a Protestant, Reuters reported.

Famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli sang between the readings.

To help Catholic Americans stay up-to-date with events at the Synod, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has launched a website covering the Synod’s proceedings.

— Tom McFeely