The following is the telegram of condolence sent by His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, on behalf of the Holy Father Francis, to Bishop Edoardo Aldo Cerrato, C.O., of Ivrea, on the death on Sunday 16 July of Bishop Luigi Bettazzi, emeritus of Ivrea:

Telegram

HIS REVEREND EXCELLENCY

BISHOP EDOARDO ALDO CERRATO, C.O.,

OF IVREA

UPON LEARNING OF THE DEPARTURE OF HIS EXCELLENCY BISHOP LUIGI BETTAZZI, EMERITUS OF IVREA, THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS WISHES TO CONVEY HIS SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS TO THE RELATIVES AND THOSE WHO MOURN THE PASSING OF THE PRELATE, GREATLY LOVED AND APPRECIATED BY THOSE WHO ENCOUNTERED HIM DURING HIS LONG AND FRUITFUL MINISTRY. THE SUPREME PONTIFF RECALLS HOW THIS GREAT DEVOTEE OF THE GOSPEL WAS DISTINGUISHED BY HIS CLOSENESS TO THE POOR, BECOMING A PROPHETIC SIGN OF JUSTICE AND PEACE IN PARTICULAR TIMES IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, AS WELL AS A MAN OF DIALOGUE AND A POINT OF REFERENCE FOR NUMEROUS EXPONENTS OF ITALIAN PUBLIC AND POLITICAL LIFE. THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR THIS INTREPID WITNESS OF THE COUNCIL, HIS HOLINESS IMPLORES OF THE RISEN LORD THE ETERNAL REWARD PROMISED TO FAITHFUL SERVANTS, AND IMPARTS TO THIS DIOCESAN COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS TO THAT OF BOLOGNA WHERE HE SERVED AS A PRIEST AND AUXILIARY BISHOP, HIS HEARTFEL APOSTOLIC BLESSING, WHICH HE EXTENDS TO ALL THOSE PRESENT AT THE FUNERAL.

CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN

SECRETARY OF STATE OF HIS HOLINESS

From the Vatican, 17 July 2023