The parish priest of the Angeli Custodi church in Trani, don Enzo de Ceglie, who intervened on Monday evening in defense of a teenager annoyed by a group of peers with firecrackers, was hit in the face with a fist by one of them and was taken to the emergency room in Barletta where he was treated and discharged.
The episode occurred during the celebrations for Saint Lucia, and aroused the reaction of the archbishop of Trani Barletta Bisceglie, Monsignor Leonardo D'Ascenzo.
"What happened - says the bishop - represents a truly unfortunate episode, of which various expressions are recorded in our territory. What is most worrying is that their actors are also minors who resort to contempt of their peers with bullying and react in against adults with unpredictable physical violence ". "I spoke with Don Enzo to express the closeness and solidarity of the entire presbytery and of the diocesan ecclesial community. I learn that he is at home and is well. And for this I thank God!" says the archbishop.
"Once again - continues Monsignor D'Ascenzo - I find confirmation of everyone's commitment to the task of formation, without ever being discouraged and stopping. Not forgetting that, the world of adolescents and young people is dotted with many examples of solidarity, altruism and culture of legality ".
The mayor of Trani, Amedeo Bottaro, also spoke on the matter, speaking of an "episode of unprecedented severity".