At Least 28 Priests Have Died of Coronavirus in Northern Italy

At Least 28 Priests Have Died of Coronavirus in Northern Italy, the Boston Pilot reports. 

The author of the article, Courtney Mares, claims that Italian dioceses surrounding Milan have reported the deaths of 30 priests during the coronavirus outbreak.

"Avvenire, the Italian newspaper owned by the Italian bishops conference, attributes at least 28 of these priests’ deaths to COVID-19, and also notes two additional cases: that of Fr. Guido Mortari, who died of pneumonia before he could get tested, and Fr. Giorgio Bosini, who had a serious underlying medical condition," reads the article. 

The same publication reports that all but three of the priests were over the age of 70, and more than half were over 80 years old. The youngest priest to die from coronavirus, Fr. Andrea Avanzini of the Diocese of Parma, was 54 years old.

Eleven of the deceased priests come from the Diocese of Bergamo, where at least 15 other priests have been hospitalized, reads the source.

"Six priests have died of the coronavirus in the Diocese of Parma. Among them was Fr. Franco Minardi, who served the same parish for 70 years, and Fr. Nicola Masi, a Saveriani Missionary of Parma, who once served as a missionary in the Amazon.

"The Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio reported the deaths of three priests, including 87-year-old twin brothers, Fr. Mario Boselli and Fr. Giovanni Boselli, who died within a day of each other.

"Other Italian dioceses with reported coronavirus deaths are Cremona, Milan, Lodi, Brescia, Casale Monferrato and Tortona.

"Private funerals are being offered for the deceased priests, as all public religious ceremonies, including wedding and funerals, were banned by the Italian government," the Boston Pilot reports.

On Thursday, Italy overtook China as the country to register most deaths from the virus.

The total number of deaths in Italy has now reached 4,825.

Author: Courtney Mares

Source: The Boston Pilot

Photo source: Getty Images