Thousands attend funeral of Italian missionary murdered in Chile

Published: 2004-07-29

ROME (CNS) -- Thousands of people attended the funeral of an Italian-born missionary in the same cathedral where he was murdered in Santiago, Chile. Servite Father Faustino Gazziero D'Estefani was laid to rest July 27 after thousands of mourners, including high-ranking government and city officials, flocked to the city's cathedral to pay their last respects, according to the Vatican's missionary news service, Fides. Cardinal Francisco Errazuriz Ossa of Santiago concelebrated the funeral Mass with 30 other bishops, dozens of priests and the apostolic nuncio to Chile, Archbishop Aldo Cavalli. Father Gazziero's "vocation was to be another Christ, a man of peace and of hope. The aim of his life was the truth that liberates us and the life of our brothers. He died because he was a man of God," Cardinal Errazuriz said in his homily. Father Gazziero was stabbed to death July 24 after celebrating evening Mass in Santiago's cathedral. Witnesses said his attacker smeared the priest's blood on his face, then stabbed himself.

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