The Italian Bishops Conference
(CEI) on Tuesday submitted a prioritised list of churches that
need post-earthquake rebuilding in a meeting with Italy's
Culture Ministry.
"Churches are heritage for people's identity and belonging,
places of gathering, recognition and celebration, places made
even more meaningful by the tragedy that has deprived thousands
of people of homes," CEI said, adding that the list of priority
churches was compiled for the good of individual communities.
During the meeting at Rome's CEI headquarters with
representatives from dioceses in Abruzzo, Marche, Lazio and
Umbria and presided over by CEI Secretary General Monsignor
Nunzio Galatino, CEI requested that it be recognized as an
"acting agency in order to directly intervene in the securing
and subsequent restoration and rebuilding work, and to be able
to count on tax breaks that allow private entities to deduct
donations for maintenance, protection and restoration".
On Wednesday CEI President Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco will
visit the town of San Pellegrino di Norcia with the archbishop
of Spoleto to speak with those affected by the October 30
earthquake and view what remains of the Basilica of St.
Benedict.
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