Giulio Napolitano, son of the late
first two-time president of the republic Giorgio Napolitano, on
Tuesday invited mourners at his father's funeral to "live this
moment in a spirit of unity and sharing".
Speaking during the non-religious ceremony in the Lower House in
Palazzo Montecitorio, he also thanked the authorities present
and the Italians who paid visited the chapel of rest in the
Senate to pay their respects on Sunday and Monday.
"A deferential thank you to the Pope for a gesture that moved
us," said Giulio Napolitano in relation to Pope Francis'
surprise visit to the chapel of rest after the Angelus blessing
on Sunday in what was the first ever visit by a pontiff to
Italy's upper house of parliament.
Speaking of his father, Napolitano recalled "a drawing I did at
primary school back in 1976 (that) proudly portrayed him with
the words 'My father is a Member of Parliament'".
"And he was sitting in front of a desk, so for 50 years I saw
him in that position: reading, studying, taking notes and
writing speeches even when he was at the Quirinale (the official
residence of the president of the republic, ed.)," he said.
"I cannot remember a single day that didn't involve work,"
continued Napolitano.
"for him, politics was a serious matter. It required decisions
and taking responsibility," he insisted, adding that his father
"could not tolerate demagoguery".
"Politics was inseparable from everyday life, politics was our
horizon," said Napolitano, adding however that "this did not
prevent him from being a very loving husband and father".
In agreeing to serve a second mandate in 2013 - the first
president ever to do so - Giorgio Napolitano "accepted with a
spirit of sacrifice the extreme extension of his
responsibilities, before continuing his commitment as a life
senator, demonstrating what the nobility of politics and
attachment to the institutions really is", said his son.
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