PORTACOMARO, Italy: Pope Francis made a rare personal getaway on Saturday, returning to his father's birthplace in northern Italy for the first time since ascending the papacy to celebrate the 90th birthday of a second cousin who long knew him as simply 'Giorgio.'

Francis' two-day visit to his ancestral homeland underscored some of the keystones of his papacy, including the importance of honoring the elderly and the human toll of migration. The private visit Saturday will be followed by public one Sunday to celebrate Mass for the local faithful, where Francis could well reflect on his family's experience migrating to Argentina.