Italy’s iconic Trevi fountain runs red with “blood” of persecuted ChristiansApril 30, 2016 - 15:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Trevi fountain in Rome was bathed in red light Friday, April 29 symbolising the spilt blood of persecuted Christians, in a grim makeover for one of Italy's most iconic monuments, Art Daily reports. Tourists looked on as survivors and relatives of victims of attacks on Christians in Africa and the Middle East made emotional pleas for an end to religious violence next to the fountain in the heart of the Eternal City. "We are here to let persecuted Christians know they have not been abandoned, they are not alone," Nunzio Galantino, secretary general of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) said. "We also ask those who walk through these streets to not forget these people," he said at the dusk event, which was organised by the Aid to the Church in Need association. All lights in the surrounding square were switched off as the baroque fountain, made famous by a scene in Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" in which Anita Ekberg wades through its pristine waters in a strapless black dress, turned a brilliant red. Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo in Syria, who has repeatedly sounded the alarm over the devastating impact on the country's Christian population, was in attendance as witnesses to atrocities carried out in the name of religion told their stories. Among them was a nun from the Missionaries of Charity mission, who related an attack in March on a home run by the missionaries in Yemen, in which 16 people were killed, including four nuns. She was joined by Luka Loteng, a student from Garissa University College in Kenya, where 147 people were killed last year in an assault by the radical Islamist al-Shabab group that specifically targeted Christians. The nearly 300-year-old Trevi fountain, commissioned by Pope Clement XII in 1730, draws millions of tourists each year. Photo: AFP Top stories The creative crew of the Public TV had chosen 13-year-old Malena as a participant of this year's contest. She called on others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech. Penderecki was known for his film scores, including for William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. The festival made the news public on March 19, saying that “several options are considered in order to preserve its running” Partner news | Turkey extends military presence in Azerbaijan The Turkish parliament has adopted a bill submitted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the mandate of Turkish troops. Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. |