“The voice has gotten bigger,” Fortunato said.
Previous campaigns to remove plaque have failed. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, some 12,000 people signed an online petition calling for it to be removed, but were rejected. Part of the problem is that not even some local officials are clear about who is responsible for making that decision, although the basilica’s rector, Giovanni Distante, said the square where the plaque is placed “falls under the direct responsibility” of the basilica government. city. .
Bari Mayor Antonio Decaro did not respond to multiple requests for comment. In 2022, he defended the plaque, saying, “I’m not in favor of canceling a piece of history,” local media reported at the time.
In an interview, Father Distante attempted to navigate the dispute by focusing on the history of “promoting and restoring Christian unity” that St. Nicholas advocated, noting clearly that it was the Russian Orthodox Church in kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, that in 1095 The commemoration of the relics that are today preserved in Bari was established. It was a subtle acknowledgment of the rift between the Orthodox Church in Ukraine and the traditional Russian patriarchy, led by a Putin ally, that followed the 2022 invasion.
But, Father Distante said, St. Nicholas’ legacy of promoting “justice, truth, love and peace” also serves as a fitting backdrop for the G7 meeting.
Last month, about 1,000 Orthodox pilgrims attended the annual St. Nicholas celebration services at the Bari basilica, including some visitors from Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet states, but mostly from the local population. In previous years, officials said, the celebration attracted more than 10,000 people, about a third of them from Russia.