Silvio Berlusconi was a man full of
life, love and joy, Archbishop of Milan Mario Delpini said
Wednesday during his homily to the ex-premier at his State
funeral at the city's cathedral.
"Silvio Berlusconi was certainly a man of politics. He was
certainly a man of business," Monsignor Delpini said.
"He was certainly a figure who acquired notoriety.
"But at this time of farewell, of prayer, what can we say of
Silvio Berlusconi?
"He was a man: a desire for life, a desire for love, a desire
for joy.
"And now we celebrate the mystery of completion.
"That is what we can say about Silvio Berlusconi - he is a man
and now he meets God".
Premier Giorgia Meloni hailed Berlusconi after the funeral and
said his political heirs would make him proud.
"Thanks Silvio, we won't forget you," said the ruling rightwing
Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader on social media of her former
minority partner in government, leader of the centre right Forza
Italia party.
"We'll make you proud," said a video accompanying the post which
showed highlights of Berlusconi's political career.
"We started this path many years ago.
"We travelled different roads.
"But the goal was, is and will remain a common one.
"Making Italy proud and able to amaze the world.
"Thank you Silvio. We'll make you proud".
Several opposition politicians have expressed dissent about the
decision by Meloni's government to declare a day of national
mourning for Berlusconi on the same day as his funeral took
place.
"A State funeral was due, but the day of national mourning was
decided on by a government that Berlusconi helped to create,"
said ex-minister Rosy Bindi, a member of the opposition,
centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and a former politician for
the once-dominant but now defunct Christian Democracy (DC)
party.
"The government has risked exposing the country to division.
"A day of national morning had never been proclaimed for a
premier (unless they went on to become president) and it has
always been done to unite the country, not divide it.
"It is held for the victims of bombings, of terrorism, of
natural disasters.
"Those who should be called on to adopt discretion in the face
of the death are on his political side, because piety and
sharing the pain does not justify sanctifying a person who had
merits but also had great limitations that continue to have an
impact on the country".
Several other PD politicians also said declaring a day of
national mourning was inappropriate although the party's leader,
Elly Schlein, attended the funeral.
But ex-premier and opposition 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader
Giuseppe Conte did not go and neither did Italian Left (SI)
leader Nicola Fratoianni or Green chief Angelo Bonelli.
Paolo Barelli, the Lower House whip for Berlusconi's Forza
Italia party, said those criticising the decision to hold a day
of national mourning were "discordant voices" that wanted to
created a row out of nothing.
"I think we are only realising now the greatness of this
figure," Barelli added.
The ruling rightwing League party reported Siena University for
Foreigners Dean Tomaso Montanari to University Minister Anna
Maria Bernini for refusing to fly the institution's flags at
half mast as decided by the government to honour Berlusconi on
the day of national day of mourning.
The League said universities should be a-political institutions.
Montanari said the Italian State was "betraying itself" in
granting national mourning to a late premier for the first time,
for such a divisive figure.
He said his refusal was "an act of patriotism".
An "I'm Not In Mourning" movement swept Italy Wednesday as the
Italians who did not agree with the day of mourning protested
against giving such an honour to such a polarising figure.
Several councils in towns and cities run by the centre-left
opposition Democratic Party (PD) also refused to fly their flags
at half mast, a decision described as a "disgrace" by the
League.
Montanari is a prominent leftwing intellectual who often appears
on TV.
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