Leopard ], in order to defame Sicily and Sicilians ’, was the Archbishop ’ s reply to the Vatican . Il Gattopardo is a novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa , posthumously published in 1958 , depicting a decadent Palermo where a failing aristocracy leaves power to Mafia ; from this novel , in March 1963 Luchino Visconti released a celebrated movie that won the Palme d ’ Or at Cannes Film Festival .
What an involuntary compliment by Cardinal Ruffini to Waldensians , being associated to Visconti ’ s masterpiece with Burt Lancaster , Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale !
Rev . Panascia ’ s ministry in Palermo continued . In 1968 a strong earthquake hit the Belice Valley , a few kilometres southwest of Palermo , killing at least 400 people and leaving more than 100,000 homeless : Rev . Panascia organised relief for the victims , by building ‘ Villaggio Speranza ’ [‘ Hope Village ’], made of 20 prefab homes . In the early 1970s he established his most important and lasting contribution for the common good in Palermo : the Centro Diaconale – Istituto Valdese ‘ La Noce ’. Rev . Panascia retired ( if possible !) in 1980 and died in 2007 .
Mayor Orlando knew perfectly well who Rev . Panascia was , without me explaining anything . Many people in Palermo know who Rev . Panascia was . In a recurring conversation I would have in Palermo with the most diverse people , I would say : ‘ Hello , I am the pastor of the Waldensian Church ’, with the response : ‘ So you are like Panascia ?’
Mayor Orlando told me that it would be easy to organise a Via Pietro Valdo Panascia in a newly built suburb . Again , I refused . ‘ Mayor , Rev . Panascia deserves a street where he lived and worked . I wish Via dello Spezio , the street where the Church is , to be named after him .’ ‘ That will be difficult , as names in the Historical Centre are listed , and we can change a street name only with the permission of the Soprintendenza ’, which is the Government office taking care of cultural heritage , with the mission of replying ‘ No ’ to any request ! ‘“ Difficult ” means we should try , shouldn ’ t we , Mayor Orlando ?’ As anybody with common sense would have predicted , the Soprintendenza said ‘ No ’. ‘ Why not ?’, I enquired . ‘“ Via dello Spezio ” is a very ancient toponym . If you asked for another street , but “ Via dello Spezio ” cannot be changed .’ ‘ Another street … like which one ?’ ‘ Mmm … like … for example , the one where Via dello Spezio ends . “ Via Isidoro La Lumia ” is a newer toponym , it is a longer street , and we may change a bit of it . As an example , I mean …’ ‘ Like the bit parallel to the Church façade ? As an example , I mean …’ ‘ As an example …’ So , we changed the request . Mayor Orlando and the City Council accepted our request . The Soprintendenza said ‘ Yes ’. The end of a four-year procedure !
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