News from the Consulate
News from Italy
Consulate of Italy in Detroit
NEWS
from Italy
Calendar of Events in Ohio
Italian translation on page 14
During his manslaughter trial
in Grosseto, Italy (Toscana),
Francesco Schettino, Captain
of the Costa Concordia cruise
ship, testified he steered the ship
towards the island of Giglio to
impress passengers and the ship’s
head waiter who had family on
the island. The January 13, 2012
maneuver caused the ship to ram
into rocks and capsize ending in
the death of 32 passengers and
crew. Other terrified passengers
and crew had to jump into the
water or board lifeboats. The
former
captain
claimed
he
accidentally tripped and fell into a
lifeboat that carried him to shore.
Schettino has denied all charges
against him. Prosecutors contend
the former captain should be
found guilty and sentenced to
at least 20 years. Salvage experts
refloated the ship at a cost of 1.2
billion Euros and sold it for scrap.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
There has been a changing of
the guard at the Vatican where
Pope Francis fired the head of
the Swiss Guard because of his
“military approach to security.”
Commandant Daniel Anrig was
relieved of duty effective this
month. No official explanation
was given for the pontiff ’s
decision but it is said the chief ’s
conduct
in
managing
the
110-man force was overly strict.
Nicknamed the “people’s Pope,”
Pope Francis is said to want
Swiss Guardsmen to be less rigid
in their rules. The Swiss Guard
was formed in 1506 as security
for the Pope and the Vatican.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Later this year, Pope Francis
will attend the World Meeting
of Families in Philadelphia.
The September visit is expected
to include a side trip to New
York. The Philadelphia meeting
4
marks his first papal visit to the
United States. Pope Francis,
who will celebrate a mass in the
City of Brotherly Love, also has
invitations from President Obama,
the Congress and the United
Nations. Pope Francis is expected
to emphasize church doctrine that
marriage between a man and a
woman is fundamental and that
children have a right to be raised
with a mother and father who
can create a suitable environment
for
their
development.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Most recently, Pope Francis
delivered
his
message
of
interreligious
discussion
for
peace with both Muslims and
Christians in Turkey. He repeated
his need for communication
rather than military action to
resolve conflicts in the Middle
East, especially in Iraq and Syria.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Italy has its first case of Ebola.
The Italian doctor, who worked in
a clinic in Sierra Leone in West
Africa, tested positive and is in
Rome for treatment. Director
Gianni Rezza of the Department
of Infectious Disease said there
is no risk to the community
and is equipped to manage the
situation. There are about 25
Italian doctors fighting the
Ebola situation in Sierra Leone,
where the community reports
scores of new cases everyday.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Italy’s special art crime unit has
beefed up guidelines in protecting
millions of religious artifacts
from thieves and international
trafficking. According to the
Carabinieri, 40 percent of stolen
goods trafficked out of Italy are
pieces of religious art. Churches,
chapels, convents and libraries
have been alerted to upgrade
security measures including video
surveilla