Free Republic

www.catholicnewsagency.com Bishop Padovese canceled Cyprus trip to avoid assassination of Pope The late Bishop Luigi Padovese and Pope Benedict. Rome, Italy, Jun 8, 2010 / 06:48 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An Italian Vatican expert is saying that Bishop Luigi Padovese, Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia and President of the Turkish Bishops’ Conference, canceled his trip to Cyprus because he feared that his driver –who later confessed to killing the bishop- might attempt an attack on Pope Benedict XVI during his stay on the island. Analyst Fr. Fillippo di Giacomo, who writes for publications such as L’Unitá and La Stampa, revealed that “hours...

TURKEY Immense crowd and ecumenical service for the funeral of Mgr. Padovese by Mavi ZambakParticipants include members of other Christian Churches and state authorities. The homily by Mgr. Franceschini speaks of "a clergyman, a bishop, a close friend of Turks and Turkey. This land is thus confirmed, once again, a place of martyrdom for those who love her dearly. " Iskendur (AsiaNews) -  The funeral of Bishop. Luigi Padovese was held yesterday afternoon in his cathedral at Iskenderun, Turkey. An immense crowd of the faithful came in large numbers from all the parishes of the Vicariate of Anatolia, a grieving...

Istanbul - A top Catholic Church official in Turkey was stabbed to death in his home on Thursday, Turkish television broadcasters reported. The reports said Vicar Apostolic for the Anatolia region, Bishop Luigi Padovese, was killed by a driver in the bishop's home in Iskenderun. Further details were not immediately known. In recent years, nationalist extremists in Turkey on several occasions have attacked or kidnapped Christian clergymen in the country. Luigi Padovese took up his post in Iskenderun in southern Turkey in November 2004.