Istanbul (AsiaNews) – The writings and pastoral speeches of Mgr Luigi Padovese, apostolic vicar of Anatolia, killed ten years ago, are now available in Turkish in a book titled İyi Çoban'ın Tanığı (Witness of the Good Shepherd).
Mgr Padovese, bishop of Iskenderun (Alexandretta), was killed on 3 June 2010 by his driver, Murat Altun, in the garden of his residence. Altun was later convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The book was released by Kitab-ı Mukaddes Şirketi (Bible Company) to mark ten years since the bishop’s death. The late prelate was known as an evangeliser and advocate of dialogue with the Oriental world. The publisher, Buğra Poyraz, personally knew Bishop Padovese.
The book is also available in Italian, published by Edizioni Terrasanta under the title La verità dell’amore (The truth of love).
In the chapel dedicated to Bishop Padovese in Iskenderun, many faithful stop to pray and consider him a martyr saint.
Mgr Paolo Bizzetti, Bishop Padovese’s successor as apostolic vicar, suggested that a street in the city of Iskenderun be dedicated to the murdered bishop.
“I think that a street in Iskenderun deserves the name of Bishop Padovese,” he said, “like the street dedicated to Mgr Angelo Roncalli in Istanbul.”
Angelo Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII, was apostolic delegate in Istanbul from 1935 to 1944.
