A warm and prolonged round of applause concluded the homily delivered by the Archbishop of Naples, Don Mimmo Battaglia, during the funeral of Giovanbattista Cutolo, the 24-year-old musician killed on August 31st.
In the church of Gesù Nuovo in Naples, the words of the prelate were greeted, several times, by applause. At the end of the homily, Giogiò's mother approached the coffin and, for a long time, embraced the coffin.
The woman, since the beginning of the funeral, left her pew and sat in that of the authorities, between the governor Vincenzo De Luca and the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi.
"I would not like to be here today. I would not like to be here accompanying yet another young son of Naples, killed for no reason at the hands of another son of this city." The archbishop of Naples, Domenico Battaglia, thus begins his homily for the funeral of Giovanbattista Cutolo, which is being celebrated in the church of Gesu' Nuovo in Naples.
“I would not like to be here,” he continues, “not because I want to escape the immense pain of Giovanbattista's parents and of all those who mourn him with broken hearts, torn by anguish, disbelief, and bewilderment.
I wouldn't want to be here because I simply wished there wasn't a reason, and more than talking about Giovanbattista I would have liked to talk to Giovanbattista; more than hearing about him, about his talent, his art and desire to live, I would have liked to touch it with my own hands, perhaps listening to a concert of his orchestra or one of his magnificent compositions, like the one his dad made me listen to a few days ago".
But, Battaglia emphasizes, "unfortunately none of us has the power to change reality, none of us can turn back the hands of history and time, stopping that very young but already deviated hand, as unfortunately happens so often with the kids of this city. We have no other words to trust than those of the Gospel of Christ, whose pages even today announce to all of us an unheard of news: the news of the Resurrection".
“Yet another son of Naples killed for no reason at the hands of another son of this same city. From the day I arrived in this city I realized that there was an educational and social emergency, I tried to do my part, appealing to everyone, but evidently it wasn't enough. I should have not only appealed, but shouted until I saw words and proclamations transformed into concrete actions.
Forgive me Giogiò, accept the request for forgiveness of your city, the apologies, perhaps few, of those who look the other way. Forgive all the adults of Naples, those who forget that the young people of Naples are children of all and all must take care of them”.
“Forgive us all, Giogiò – the archbishop continued – because we too have armed that hand, with our delays, our broken promises, our proclamations, posts and press releases which were not followed by actions”.
“Naples needs justice, peace, life, hope, it needs you. The dreams, desires, hopes of Giogiò from today walk on your legs. His notes, his melody and his music from today must vibrate even more on the strings and in the air of your instruments.
His eyes, his name, his face must be engraved and kept in the hearts and minds of all of us adults, as a warning, a reminder, a torment so that evil does not continue to repeat itself, so that a stop is put to violence and terror”. Don Mimmo addresses the young people and in particular to Cutolo’s friends.
“Your presence in this church demonstrates two things: how much Giogiò is loved and how great is the pain that a violent and criminal act has caused in all of you. From your sorrowful gaze a question seems to emerge, addressed to us adults, shouted to the sky: why did it happen? How could it happen that a peaceful and honest young man like Giovanbattista died in this way?
As a Bishop I would like to give you an answer but I must be honest in telling you that I do not have one, that I do not know why people die in such an absurd way, without reason. However, I feel like sharing with you the certainty that in this absurdity we can find a meaning because I am convinced that the meaning of death, like that of life, of friendship, of justice, and the supreme meaning of God is never at the bottom of our reasoning, but always and only at the bottom of our commitment. And for this reason, together with Giogiò, I say to you: commit yourselves for Naples”.
photo service of Alexander Memoli
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