Vandals Damage Organ of in St. Mary's Church in Italy
The church of St. Mary of Jesus in Ritiro was vandalised and the organ was damaged on the 7. October. This incident occurred only 9 months after the last case of vandalism, according to the source. The CCTV cameras show that young persons broke into the building and gravely damaged the electronic organ. They also mimicked the Crucifix and played with some of the furnishings of the altar before running away.
The parish priest, Father Roberto Romeo, has reported the incident to the commander of the Carabinieri, who instantly acquired the video material in order to examine it and thus trace the perpetrators of the wrongdoing.
"It is unfortunate to witness such incidents more and more frequently, especially when they are committed by young people, who should be guided by other values with the support of their families," the priest said.
In January the church pews were turned upside down, candlesticks overturned on the altar and cigarette butts scattered on the floor. But Father Romeo had chosen to leave the doors of the building open in the morning to allow the faithful to gather in prayer.
Mayor Federico Basile also expressed his solidarity with the parish priest. In the next few days, he will visit the priest to initiate a fruitful dialogue with him, "so that communities are no longer disturbed by episodes of this kind, the result of a social malaise of which so many young people are victims".
Source: Gazzetta del Sud
Photo: Gazzetta del Sud