A bishop has claimed he would not have permitted the funeral of an alleged mob boss if he had known it would turn into a spectacle of Mafia propaganda.
Italian press are reporting outrage at the splendour of the funeral procession of Vittorio Casamonica, who died aged 65, where six black plumed horses pulled a black and gold carriage on which rose petals rained down from a helicopter in the sky while the Godfather soundtrack played.
The funeral was held in the church of San Giovanni Bosco where posters on the walls read "King of Rome" and "You conquered Rome, now you will conquer heaven."
Casamonica had been investigated often by Italian police.
The Roman Catholic Church, which continues to deny communion to remarried divorcees, is under increased pressure in the wake of the lavish send-off for Casamonica to explain how it can continue to offer the sacraments to members of crime syndicates, RNS reported.
Matteo Orfini, president of the ruling Democratic party, said: "Never again. Rome cannot be defaced by those who want it to became the set of the Godfather." Mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino, a transplant surgeon, said it was "intolerable that funerals are used by the living to send mafia messages".
It is an embarrassing incident because it occurs on the eve of the Pope's visit to Philadelphia when he will focus on the "family", and also just months before the final Synod on the Family in October. The Pope is under pressure to stand by the Church's hardline conservative stance on issues such as marriage after divorce and homosexuality. Funerals such as Casamonica do not help him because they contribute to public suspicion of double standards.
Commentators also picked up on the debate in 2006 when Rome denied a Catholic funeral to the late Piergiorgio Welby, a campaigner for the right to die, who was unable to eat, speak or breathe on his own due to muscular dystrophy. He died when his doctor unplugged his life support. The Church said a Catholic funeral would have given legitimacy to actions that went against God's law.
Auxiliary Bishop Giuseppe Mariante defended the ceremony, insisting the church had not known it would become a piece of "Mafia propaganda". He told L'Osservatore Romano: "Of course, if we had had the suspicion of a show of this type, we would have taken precautions."
Bishop Vincenzo Bertolone of Catanzaro-Squillace southern Calabria, centre of at least one powerful crime syndicate, said the church would never deny last rites to Mafia members or other criminals if requested by relatives. But he added: "The directions for the ceremony ask that it is done in a simple way, without pomp, nor flowers, nor music, nor songs, nor beatifying commemorations."
During his own visit to Calabria Pope Francis criticised the Mafia's "adoration of evil" but said criminals who repented would be welcomed back into the Church.
He said: "Open your hearts to the Lord, he said. "The Lord is waiting for you and the church will welcome you if your willingness to serve good is as clear and public as your choice to serve evil was."
