Gino Cecchettin, the father of Giulia, the 22-year-old student from Veneto whose murder on November 11, 2023 shocked all of Italy, had a telephone conversation with Pope Francis.
Mr. Cecchettin spoke of the call on March 5 during the first presentation of the new book dedicated to his daughter, titled “Dear Giulia,” at the Teatro Verdi in Padua.
The news, which was confirmed by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, was reported by local news outlets.
Gino Cecchettin recounted that the phone call came through Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and president of the CEI: “He was the one who called me, saying, ‘I’m passing you to the Holy Father.’”
“I have a somewhat ambiguous relationship with the ‘higher-ups’,” the bereaved father explained, “but even if one doesn’t believe, he represents two billion people, and when you hear his words, you feel two billion people giving you a pat on the back and supporting you.”
“This is a gift from Giulia.”
