“Reading this manifesto is excruciatingly painful. Always watch over us, you were a warrior on earth and now you will be everywhere.” This was the message on a banner outside the parish of Santa Maria di Montesanto, in the Spanish Quarter. It is there that the funeral of Vincenzo Ruggiero, the 25-year-old shop assistant killed and torn to pieces by the barbaric, murderous jealousy of Ciro Guarente , a former Navy civilian employee originally from Ponticelli. In the same church where he was baptized, family members, friends, and many ordinary citizens wanted to say their last farewell to the unfortunate boy. Also present was former parliamentarian and LGBT community representative Vladimir Luxuria. "I met Vincenzo Ruggiero's mother at an I Ken initiative for the reuse of a property confiscated from the Camorra. I must say," added Vladimir Luxuria, "that I was struck by the fact that she harbors no hatred toward those responsible for his death. She continues to work and fight for her son's memory. I am here to be close to her, and then the judiciary will determine the truth." "It's just a goodbye," was written on the white T-shirts with Vincenzo's smiling face that so many were wearing. The church couldn't contain the crowd. "Whoever knows, speak up," thundered Don Michele Madonna during his homily. And then he added: "Only the truth makes men." A reference to the latest sensational statements by the killer, who recently announced that he had an accomplice and that he was ready to reveal his name next week at the first hearing of the trial.
The parish priest's homily was touching, while Maria Esposito, Vincenzo's mother, and all the family and friends of the gay and LGBT community in Campania listened through tears: Today Vincenzo Ruggiero did us a disservice, he brought us together here. It's a world where people die of loneliness, there's interior death. Vincenzo brought us here to help us know the truth, that is, Jesus. In heaven, there's celebration. I knew Vincenzo; we met twice. I even argued with him when I had the loudspeakers installed outside. On this second occasion, I realized that Vincenzo was hurting inside, and so God told me I had to help him, but I didn't have time. I ask you to stop looking inside, because inside there's only pain and injustice. Better to look at Jesus. When I asked Maria, Vincenzo's mother, if she bore a grudge against her son's murderer, she said no. There is no greater pain than the loss of a son. Then: if anyone knows anything else about what happened that hasn't yet emerged, please say so without fear. Truth and courage truly make us men." White balloons and applause went up as the coffin emerged from the church. Many shouted "Vincenzo, Vincenzo" and then "Justice, Justice." A year after his gruesome murder, Vincenzo Ruggiero finally received his funeral. Now the word passes to the courts and to a trial that promises to be full of news and twists.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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