Funeral of murdered bishop of Turkey
(June 14, 2010) The funeral of Italian Bishop Luigi Padovese, Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, Turkey, who was murdered on June 3rd took place in the cathedral of Milan, northern Italy, on Monday. The solemn funeral Mass, presided over by Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Milan, was concelebrated by 350 priests. Some five thousand faithful applauded the late martyred bishop while his body was being carried to the Musocco cemetery of the Capuchin order to which Bishop Padovese belonged. In a condolence message sent to Cardinal Tettamanzi, Pope Benedict expressed his profound pain for the killing of Bishop Padovese, a native of Milan. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sent the message on behalf of the Pope saying the Holy Father “recommends the noble soul of this beloved pastor to the infinite mercy of God and renders thanks for his generous witness to the Gospel and his solid commitment to dialogue and reconciliation that has marked his priestly life and episcopal ministry.” Bishop Luigi Padovese, was murdered at his home in Turkey’s southern port city of Iskenderun, by his driver, Murat Altun, a 26-year old Turk who is said to be insane. In his capacity as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Turkey, the 63-year old Capuchin bishop was to be among the bishops of the Middle East to personally receive from Pope Benedict a copy of the working document of the upcoming Middle East Synod, at the end of a papal Mass in Nicosia, Cyprus, on June 6.
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