Fri., Jan. 11, 2002
An Italian gay association is to ask the Pope to give homosexuals a patron saint. Dionysios Arcigay has called on homosexuals to gather next Sunday in Piazza San Pietro at the Vatican to appeal for a gay beautification. They have proposed the name of Alfredo Ormando, a homosexual man who set himself on fire in 1998 to ask the equity of rights for gay people. The Vatican has not commented on the appeal so far. Tgcom website reports the association's manifesto on the issues says: "The church is sometimes reluctant to recognise homosexuality, and we are looking forward to asking a formal recognition of our rights to the Pope."