Italy holds state funeral to bid farewell to late Prime Minister Berlusconi

The coffin of the media mogul and Italy's most influential politician of the past 30 years, decorated with white and red roses, was carried from his villa in Arcore to the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, with long lines of people lining the streets to say goodbye.

The coffin of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is carried into the Duomo Cathedral in Milan for a funeral on June 14, 2023. Photo: AFP

Mr Berlusconi's coffin was then carried into the church, escorted by a guard of honour, with his family and relatives following behind.

Thousands of Mr Berlusconi's supporters - including a delegation from his Monza football club - watched on giant screens set up in the square as Archbishop Mario Delpini presided over the funeral.

"When a man is a politician, he tries to win. So there will be people who praise him and there will be people who dislike him," Archbishop Delpini said in his eulogy.

"But in this moment of farewell and prayer, what can we say about Silvio Berlusconi? He was a man: thirsty for life, thirsty for love, thirsty for joy," he added.

Berlusconi, both loved and reviled by Italians, has been ill for the past few years, although he remains the official head of his Forza Italia party, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition government.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Ms Meloni and other officials attended the funeral. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was also present, along with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Iraqi President Abdel Latif Rashid.

Crowds of Italians came to bid him farewell along the streets and in front of the Duomo Cathedral in Milan. Photo: Reuters

Italy's longest-serving post-war prime minister and re-elected to the Italian Senate last year, Mr Berlusconi has been dogged by sexual and legal scandals and is known for his controversial behaviour on the international stage.

Mr Berlusconi lived with his 33-year-old girlfriend, Marta Fascina, in his final years. Sitting in the front row with her were one of his two ex-wives and his five children, some of whom run his media empire, worth an estimated $7 billion.

Italy has flown flags at half-mast on some public buildings since Monday to pay tribute to a leader whose influence extended far beyond politics, thanks to his wide-ranging interests in television, journalism and sports. Italy’s parliament is also in recess for three days and the Italian government has declared a state of mourning on Wednesday – a first for a former prime minister.

Mr Berlusconi has built a Pharaoh-inspired marble mausoleum at his villa in Arcore, near Milan, to house him and his family when he dies. Italian media reported that his family had planned to cremate him and place his ashes in the mausoleum.

Hoang Anh (according to AFP, AP, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nuoc-y-to-chuc-quoc-tang-tien-biet-co-thu-tuong-berlusconi-post251653.html