Italian priest recalls COVID-19 'nightmare' of coffin-filled church


  • World
  • Monday, 15 Mar 2021

Father Mario Carminati, who is responsible for the churches in Seriate, the small town near Bergamo where a year ago many coffins of people who died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19 ) were pilling up in a local church and taken away by military trucks, poses for a photograph, in Seriate, Italy, February 28, 2021. Picture taken February 28, 2021. REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo

SERIATE, Italy (Reuters) - On the wall of St. Joseph's Church hangs a black-and-white photograph with a caption remembering when the Italian parish of Seriate gave 270 people emergency "hospitality" last year - coffins of the dead from COVID-19, sometimes up to 40 at a time.

The hosts were Father Mario Carminati, 65, and Marcello Crotti, 46, who opened up the church to give the deceased a dignified temporary place of rest so they would not have to wait in a warehouse for burial or cremation.

Subscribe now and receive FREE sooka plan for 1 month.
T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In World

Haiti attack on Doctors Without Borders ambulance kills two patients
Malaysians can now use Taiwan’s e-Gate for immigration clearance
Argentina appeals court confirms guilty verdict for former President Cristina Kirchner
Italian president tells Musk to quit meddling in Italy's domestic politics
Liberal bastion no more? Rights groups fret over Swedish crackdown on gang crime
Musk to join Trump at meeting with House Republicans, reports say
Scholz, fighting for survival, says Germans should not choose between security and prosperity
Spaniards brace for fresh storms two weeks after deadly Valencia floods
Senior Russian naval officer killed in car bomb hit claimed by Kyiv
Guardian quits X social media platform, citing racism and conspiracy theories

Others Also Read