Italy鈥檚 President Sergio Mattarella (C) walks past an Italian soldiers as he visits with mayor of Amatrice Sergio Pirozzi (L) the damaged central Italian village of Amatrice on August 26, 2016, three days after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the region killing some 281 people.
Italy prepared for an emotional day of mourning on August 27, 2016 with flags across the country to fly at half mast in honour of the 281 victims of a devastating earthquake. Grieving families began burying their dead on August 26 as rescue workers combing the rubble said they had found no new survivors in the remote mountain villages in central Italy blitzed by August 24鈥檚 powerful pre-dawn quake.
/ AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO
Fr. Giovanni Cavalcoli, a theologian known for his hardline views, made the comments on October 30, the day central Italy was struck by a 6.6-magnitude quake 鈥� the most powerful to hit the country in 36 years 鈥� according to Italian media.
It was the third major quake in the same region in just over two months.
Cavalcoli said on Radio Maria that the seismic shocks were 鈥渄ivine punishment鈥� for 鈥渢he offence to the family and the dignity of marriage, in particular through civil unions.鈥�
The radio station distanced itself from his views and late Friday the Vatican issued a stinging rebuke, saying the idea of a vengeful God was 鈥渁 pagan vision鈥� dating from 鈥渢he pre-Christian era.鈥�
Archbishop Angelo Becciu, number two in the Vatican鈥檚 powerful Secretariat of State, said Cavalcoli鈥檚 comments were 鈥渙ffensive to believers and disgraceful for nonbelievers,鈥� in remarks reported by Italian media.
Becciu asked for forgiveness from quake victims and reminded them they had the 鈥渟olidarity and support鈥� of Pope Francis.
But Cavalcoli has refused to back down, insisting to another radio station that earthquakes are indeed caused by 鈥渢he sins of man鈥� and telling the Vatican to 鈥渞ead their catechism.鈥�
Legislation allowing gay civil unions in Italy only took effect last month, making it the last country in Western Europe to legally recognize same-sex relationships.
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