Godfather-style funeral for mafia boss

(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - A Rome mafia boss was given a send-off to remember on Thursday as rose petals were thrown from a helicopter and an orchestra played the theme tune of the celebrated mobster film The Godfather. Vittorio Casamonica, 65, was a prominent member of the Casamonica clan, which has been held responsible for drug trafficking, racketeering and prostitution in the area southeast of Rome.
    His lavish funeral sparked widespread criticism with the chairman of the ruling Democratic Party (PD), Matteo Orfini, who is also PD Rome commissioner, tweeting "Never again. Rome cannot be defaced by those who would like to turn it into a Godfather set".
    The funeral was held Thursday morning in Don Bosco church, on the outskirts of the capital. The coffin arrived in a black carriage with gilded bas-reliefs, drawn by six black horses. To welcome him, an orchestra played the theme song of the famous Francis Ford Coppola film.
    An image of Padre Pio adorned his coffin while posters with slogans such as "You have conquered Rome, now conquer heaven" and "Vittorio Casamonica king of Rome" appeared in front of the parish church.
    They portrayed Casamonica with a crown on his head and with the Colosseum and the dome of St Peter's in the background. A large crowd of people turned up to bid him farewell. "He was a good person," mourners said as they gathered at the end of the mass.
    After the service, the coffin was taken from the church in a Rolls-Royce and the band played the soundtrack of another famous film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.