A church in Cerignola, near the
Puglia city of Foggia, is offering shelter from the heat to the
homeless and farmhands during the hottest hours of the day.
Father Giuseppe Ciarciello, 36, who is the parish priest of the
church of San Domenico in Cerignola, decided to open the
church's doors after 1 pm to the homeless as well as to seasonal
farmhands working in the countryside around town.
"It's a really small thing that aims to remind everyone to keep
their hearts open to others", the priest told ANSA.
Ciarciello, who is originally from the nearby town of Stornara
and knows how hot it can get in the area, said that over the
Ferragosto national holiday in mid-August he noticed "the square
in front of the church was full of youths and men: they were
lying on the pavement in the shade.
"So I thought I could open the door and offer them the space
usually reserved to worshippers.
"They can enjoy air conditioning as well as fresh water and
electrical outlets to recharge their phones".
The priest said most of the people who seek shelter are "men who
arrive in Italy looking for a future or who have lost
everything".
"They have behind them stories of past failures or a present
made of exploitation and it's impossible to remain indifferent",
he explained.
The church, which can host up to 500 people, will remain open
from 1 until 5 in the afternoon "so we have the possibility of
cleaning up before Mass at 6, although if someone wants to stay
after that time, we will remain open", he assured.
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