Santa Maria di Gesù fire in Palermo, association files arson complaint

A Palermo-based cultural association, the Maredolce Castle and Park Association, which works to enhance the site of the same name in the Sicilian capital, has filed an arson complaint against unknown persons for what happened to the 15th-century church of Santa Maria di Gesù in Palermo, which was half-destroyed during a fire in which the worship building’s precious Renaissance ceiling was lost, as well as a 15th-century wooden sculpture depicting the Madonna and Child and several other works. The association has also indicated its willingness to join as a civil plaintiff in the event that legal proceedings are initiated.

“”After the fire on July 25, we went wild with improper, complaints on social media," commented the association’s president, Domenico Ortolano. “We felt it was right to give a signal that could be shared by others and we filed a complaint against unknown persons. The Church of St. Mary of Jesus is a place that belongs to the identity of the city. It is the custodian of the relics of St. Bnedetto the Moor, co-patron of Palermo. We hope that this gesture can be followed by other citizens and associations because only Together, we make a difference.”

At the moment the origin of the fire that devastated the church is not yet known, which broke out during a series of very difficult days for Sicily in this respect, with dozens of outbreaks breaking out almost simultaneously across the island last week. The flames in recent days have found favorable ground to spread due to the high temperatures in Sicily (but also in Calabria and Sardinia), but according to Coldiretti at least 60 percent of the fires have arson causes. This is the sector association’s estimate: “It will take at least 15 years,” Coldiretti points out, “to completely restore the green areas destroyed by the flames with damages of over ten thousand euros per hectare between immediate expenses for extinguishing and reclamation and those in the long term on the reconstitution of the environmental and economic systems of the devastated areas. The high temperatures and lack of rainfall have dried up the soils favoring the ignition of fires in the countryside and in forests often abandoned due to the closure of farms that can no longer perform a control and monitoring function to intervene in a timely manner. In order to defend the Italian forest, we need to create the economic and social conditions so that the removal from the countryside is countered and those functions of vigilance, maintenance and land management carried out by agricultural entrepreneurs are enhanced, including against criminal actions.”

Meanwhile, at the Church of St. Mary of Jesus, damage is being counted and a fundraiser has been launched to save what can still be saved. The initiative started by the Friars Minor of Sicily, to whom one can make a free offering with IBAN IT 02 M 02008 04615 000104482428 (made out to the Province of the Friars Minor of Val Mazara - San Benedetto), causal Fire Sanctuary St. Benedict the Moor - Palermo, or with a donation through the website always specifying the causal.

Santa Maria di Gesù fire in Palermo, association files arson complaint

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