- Title: ITALY: GIANNI VERSACE LAID TO REST IN A PEACEFUL CEMETERY OVERLOOKING LAKE COMO
- Date: 18th July 1997
- Summary: MOLTRASIO, LAKE COMO, ITALY (JULY 18, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV OF CEMETARY, LAKE COMO 0.05 2. TV POLICE CHECKING CEMETERY (4 SHOTS) 0.27 3. TV PRIEST BARTOLOMEO FRANZI WAITING 0.35 4. TV PEOPLE WAITING AT CEMETERY 0.38 5. TV SANTO AND DONATELLA VERSACE WALKING INTO CEMETERY CARRYING GOLD CASKET CONTAINING ASHES OF THEIR BROTHER GIANNI 0.49 6. TV FRANZI JOINING SANTO AND DONATELLA 1.17 7. TV UNIDENTIFIED FAMILY MEMBERS ARRIVING (4 SHOTS) 1.44 8. TV CHILDREN OF DONATELLA, ALLEGRA AND DANIEL VERSACE CRYING AS THEY WALK IN TO CEMETERY 2.00 9. LV OF CEMETERY 2.04 10.TV FRANZI AND SANTO AND DONATELLA WALKING TO VAULTS WITH CASKET 2.11 11.TV CEMETERY 2.13 12.SV MEDIA ON OVERLOOKING CEMETERY 2.16 13.TV DONATELLA AND SANTO LEAVING CEMETARY WITH FAMILY (2 SHOTS) 2.42 14.LV LAKE COMO, BUILDING 2.48 Initials P3 S2/3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 2nd August 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MOLTRASIO, LAKE COMO, ITALY
- City:
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVAXTK8GMX893ZVQJXV00AXSDDW
- Story Text: In a simple family service -- no glitz, no glamour --Gianni Versace has been laid to rest in a peaceful cemetery overlooking Lake Como.
Versace's sister Donatella and brother Santo led around a dozen mourners into the secluded cemetery on Friday (July 18) in the village of Moltrasio where the Italian fashion designer had a villa.
Four limousines were parked at the wrought-iron gates as Donatella, wearing a close-fitting black dress and sunglasses, led her children Allegra and Daniel past security guards, two paramilitary Carabinieri police and a few bystanders.
"May the Lord help us to understand what has befallen you," local priest Bartolomeo Franzi told the mourners gathered inside a small chapel within the carefully tended cemetery.
"The Lord is close to you in this moment which seems without hope and consolation." Versace, 50, was shot dead outside his Miami Beach mansion by a lone gunman as he returned home from buying magazines.
Police have mounted a massive manhunt for 27-year-old Andrew Cunanan, a homosexual prostitute and alleged "spree killer" whom they describe as their only suspect.
Allegra and Daniel, on whom Versace doted, sobbed loudly throughout the 20-minute service.
Versace's brother Santo, wearing a black jacket and trousers and a silver-buckled belt, linked his arm through Donatella's as they walked out of the chapel into the evening sunshine.
He carried an intricate, oblong gold casket containing the ashes of the designer, who was cremated on Thursday in Miami.
Brother and sister then proceeded to a vault lent to them by the Coccini family, where they laid Versace to rest.
Well-to-do Italians are usually buried in family vaults.
Donatella and Santo had wanted the funeral in Moltrasio, but have not yet made arrangements for a vault of their own.
The distraught children remained outside during the 10-minute vault ceremony and were hugged and comforted by a female friend or relation. The family then left the cemetery.
Santo, the business brains behind the multi-million dollar Versace empire, and Donatella, a talented designer and creator of the house's Versus line, flew back to Italy earlier on Friday from Miami on a private plane.
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