Papal blessing

Alessandro Spiezia, president of the Associazione Italiana Ottici, the Italian equivalent of the AOP, recently presented a commemorative plaque along with a blessing from Pope Benedict XVI to the master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers Robin Weathersby.

Also attending the Spectacle Makers Court Luncheon as guests of liveryman Roger Pope, were Dr Marion Casini, chief executive of the Italian association, and Andrea Dorigo, managing director of Luxottica UK.

Pictured (from left) are Pope, Spiezia, Casini, Weathersby and Dorigo. The visit follows the London DO's invitation to the Vatican last December as a guest of the Italian association (Optician, January 25).