Salute to Mafia man ‘perversion of religion’

A religious procession performed a “salute” to a Mafia godfather in southern Italy despite Pope Francis’ condemnation of the Mob. During a visit to a Mafia power base last month, Francis said mafiosi were “excommunicated” because “their lives follow this path of evil”. Worshippers bearing a statue of the Madonna through the town of Oppido Mamertina, in Calabria, last week paused for around 30 seconds in a “bow” at the home of Giuseppe Mazzagatti, 82, serving the remains of a life sentence for murder under house arrest. The Vatican condemned the salute as “a perversion of religion”.