«No religious celebration for Nitto Santapaola»: the decision of the Archbishop of Catania

"Following the prescription of the Chief of Police of Catania on March 10 regarding Mr. Benedetto Santapaola, the Archbishop of Catania has ordered that no religious celebration be permitted on the occasion of the passing of the aforementioned." This was communicated by the Catanese Curia regarding the historical head of Cosa Nostra in Catania, better known as Nitto, who died on March 2 at 87 years old in the Opera prison in Milan, where he was serving a life sentence for various life sentences. In the days following his death - to which an autopsy (performed on Monday) has followed and the cremation of the body is awaited - it was initially announced that there would be a religious celebration within the cemetery, where the Santapaola family has a chapel.

The decision was made taking into account the indications and assessments of the competent authorities, "with the aim of preventing any potential religious moment from being exploited or turned into an occasion for demonstrations that do not conform to the true meaning of Christian liturgy".

The Archdiocese "reiterates respect for the provisions of the authorities and calls for a sense of responsibility and respect for the established rules".

With his provision, the police chief has prohibited "public or private funerals" and has ordered that the transfer of the urn with the ashes of the mafia boss, who will be cremated, take place along the shortest route, in a private manner without any street rituals and without processions of vehicles following.
The lawyer of the mafia boss, attorney Carmelo Calì, recalled that "it is a fact known to me for some time that Benedetto Santapaola had informed his family that he wanted to be cremated and did not want any funeral ceremony, neither public nor private, therefore - added the criminal lawyer - the measures of the Police Chief and the Archbishop, necessary for the roles they perform, are surpassed by the wishes of my client"
The historic head of Cosa Nostra in Catania, 87 years old, serving a life sentence, who was held under the 41bis regime in the maximum-security prison of Opera, died in the penitentiary medicine department of San Paolo hospital, where he had been transferred due to his health conditions. Santapaola was one of the most bloodthirsty Sicilian mafia bosses, sentenced to 18 life sentences including those for the Capaci and Via D'Amelio massacres and for the murder of journalist Giuseppe Fava and police chief inspector Giovanni Lizzio.
According to what has been learned, the body, after the autopsy performed two days ago at the request of the Milan Prosecutor's Office which has already granted the clearance for its return to the family, will be cremated in Milan and then the ashes will be transferred to Catania.