Written by Naples, San Sebastiano al Vesuvio on 21 September 2024. Posted in 2024.

With the 34th anniversary of Raffaele Capasso's death, celebrations begin for the centenary of his birth

A Eucharistic celebration dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the death of Raffaele Capasso, mayor of the reconstruction of the town destroyed by the eruption of 19 March 1944, was held in the Sanctuary of San Sebastiano Martire.
Present in the church were his sons Michele and Pino with his wife Barbara, the mayor Giuseppe Panico with a number of councillors and administrators, the prefect of Naples Michele Di Bari - who came to the church immediately after the end of the meeting of the G7 culture ministers and after receiving the public thanks of the newly appointed Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli - the headmistress Rosalba Rotondo and many friends who wished to pay homage to a man who made the recent history of San Sebastiano.

"Monsignor Gaetano Borrelli, who has been the reference point of this Shrine for decades, often reminds me that Raffaele Capasso, our beloved Mayor, was a religious and merciful man, considering as a precious gift the attendance and confidential conversations with him, which remain in the secret of his soul; this evening we are gathered in the Eucharist precisely to remember Raffaele, a protagonist of the reconstruction of our country. This man did not have one ‘extra gear’ but two, three extra gears. Thanks to him, our country has become the "little Switzerland" that everyone envies us. If we have to define Raffaele with one word, ‘Dialogue’ comes to mind; few men like him knew how to dialogue and listen to everyone: from the bricklayer to the priest, from the carabiniere to the politician, from the Head of State to the last of the poor. He leaves us all a great teaching, all the more alive in this difficult moment in human history: never give up and live with humility and mercy. His legacy is part of our daily life and his sons present here, Pino and Michele, have been able to make good use of it: the former serving for many years as mayor which was his father Raffaele's, the latter dedicating his life to dialogue and peace, leading the ‘Fondazione Mediterraneo’ and the ‘United States of the World’. The current administration, led by Mayor Giuseppe Panico, who was present in the church, also continues in the wake of Raffaele Capasso".

These were the words with which Don Vincenzo Cozzolino (Father Enzo) - parish priest of the Sanctuary of San Sebastiano Martire, former director of Caritas Naples and archiepiscopal delegate for charity and justice - commemorated Raffaele Capasso.
In the MAMT Museum of Peace in Naples during the day, a special opening of the section of the Museum of Peace dedicated to Raffaele Capasso, with the participation of many young people from various schools in Campania, who were able to view the book of honour of the illustrious visitors who have paid homage to Mayor Capasso over the years.
In Marrakech and Lisbon, some members of the "United States of the World" recalled the figure of Mayor Capasso and his commitment to the Common Good, reading comments from the book “Il Viaggio del Signor Niente”.