It is reported that Italian priest Felice Palamara was the victim of an attempted poisoning during Mass last Saturday, February 24, in Calabria, Italy. The cup from which he was to drink wine was bleach, reports the Catholic News Agency of Latin America (ACI Digital).
A priest from the Italian city of Chessaniti noticed by the smell that the wine bleach and immediately stopped the mass to call the authorities to the scene.
According to ACI Digitally, suspicion falls on the Calabrian mafia as a priest criticizes the criminal organization.
Father Felice Palamar’s car was vandalized days before the poisoning attempt, and another priest from a nearby location received death threats, the newspaper reported.
Bishop of Tropea-Mileto-Nicotera Dom Attilio Nostro left a statement on the diocese’s website.
“(…) I once again call on Christian communities not to allow themselves to be disappointed by this language of violence. We must not give in to this logic and allow ourselves to be tempted by despondency and anger. We cannot accept this language, we must not respond with hatred to hatred, knowing that it is impossible to have a real dialogue with those who refuse to do so (…),” he wrote.
The bishop also thanked the authorities.