“The voice has grown,” Mr. Fortunato said.
Previous campaigns to remove the plaque had failed. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, about 12,000 people signed an online petition calling for Ukraine’s demolition, but were turned away. Part of the problem is that it is not clear even to some local officials who is responsible for this decision, although the basilica’s rector, Giovanni Distante, said that the piazza where the plaque is placed “falls under the direct responsibility “The city government falls.
Bari Mayor Antonio Decaro did not respond to multiple requests for comment. In 2022, he defended the plaque by saying, “I’m not in favor of removing a piece of history,” local news media reported at the time.
In an interview, Father Distante attempted to resolve the dispute by focusing instead on the history of “promoting and restoring Christian unity” championed by St. Nicholas, specifically noting that it was the Russian Orthodox Church In Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, the commemoration of the relics now kept in Bari was introduced in 1095. It was a subtle acknowledgment of the break between Ukraine’s Orthodox Church and the traditional Russian patriarchy, led by an ally of Mr. Putin, that followed the 2022 invasion.
But, said Father Distant, St. Nicholas’ legacy of promoting “justice, truth, love and peace” also provides an appropriate backdrop for the G7 meeting.
Last month, around 1,000 Orthodox pilgrims attended annual services celebrating St. Nicholas at the Basilica of Bari, including some visitors from Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet states, but mostly from the local population. Officials said the celebration has attracted more than 10,000 people in past years, about a third of them from Russia.
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2024-06-10 10:24:51
www.nytimes.com
