ITALY: Tent camp survivors watch funeral on TV

Record ID: 345157

  • Title: ITALY: Tent camp survivors watch funeral on TV
  • Date: 11th April 2009
  • Summary: VARIOUS PEOPLE WATCHING MASS ON TV OLD MAN OUTSIDE TENT SITTING ON GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FRANCESCO PAGANI, SURVIVOR DISPLACED BY QUAKE, SAYING: "Now the prayer professionals are saying their prayers, their mass. Everybody prays: popes, archpopes, bishops, archbishops, excellencies, eminencies, Saint Peter and Saint Paul and yet Jesus Christ sends us an earthquake." TENT INTERIOR WITH STATUE OF VIRGIN MARY IN FOREGROUND AND PEOPLE WATCHING IN THE BACKGROUND PEOPLE WATCHING MASS ON TELEVISION
  • Embargoed: 26th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVADH7NIG58U7PD7C4LA81SWYM4H
  • Story Text: Survivors of Italy's devastating earthquake watch the state funeral of the victims on large screens in L'Aquila's tent camp.
    Survivors of Italy's deadly earthquake gathered in a tent in camp for displaced people on Friday (April 10) to watch the mass state funeral of the victims on large television screens.
    17,000 people are living in tent villages after their homes were destroyed by Monday's (April 6) 6.3 magnitude quake which hit the city of L'Aquila. At least 289 people died.
    However, on Italy's national day of mourning, some survivors put their worries aside and concentrated on commemorating the dead.

    "I don't know how to express my feelings. Now we are not thinking about our future but we are thinking about those who have died,"
    displaced quake survivor Sonia Manucci said.
    Others questioned why the quake had happened.

    "Now the prayer professionals are saying their prayers, their mass. Everybody prays: popes, archpopes, bishops, archbishops, excellencies, eminencies, Saint Peter and Saint Paul and yet Jesus Christ sends us an earthquake," Francesco Pagani said as he sat by a tree looking at the tent where the others watched the funeral.
    The funeral required a special dispensation from Pope Benedict, who plans to visit the Abruzzo region soon, because mass is not usually celebrated on Good Friday in the Catholic church. There will also be an Islamic funeral for six Muslim victims.
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