by Flavia Fiorentino
The ceremony in the Church of the Artists in Rome. Entrance manned by carabinieri and strict security service. Sitting in the second row behind his son, nephew and ex-husband Rigau, the factotum is on trial for allegedly deceiving the actress
Lots of fans in the Piazza del Popolo in front of the Church of Artists for the last farewell to Gina Lollobrigida. The entrance, guarded by the Carabinieri, prevents citizens and admirers from entering the church to attend the funeral ajar the church door. The funeral service will be filmed live by Rai Uno, but no other TV or journalists will be allowed.
In the front row, like yesterday for the Capitol funeral home, are son Milko Skofic and nephew Dimitri alongside their Catalan ex-husband Francisco Javier Rigau. In the second row, unexpectedly, there is Andrew Piazzolla, his factotum in court for the crime of evading the disabled wife of the «Bersagliera» – who, on the other hand, had announced that she would not attend the funeral -. At the end of the event, Piazzolla was led out of a side entrance to the church.
The fair is directed by father Walter which evoked the life of the great actress, from her time in Hollywood to her return to Italy, «where she could cultivate her creativity but also in sculpture and beautiful photography, always guided by beauty». «But the legacy he leaves – added Father Walter – is a legacy of love. For the good she did to unknown people living in poverty, but was also generous with friends and always helped them with great discretion”. The diva’s devotion to the Saint Teresa of Calcutta and building a Children’s Hospital in India.
Also to pay tribute to Gina Lollobrigida Mara Venier, Barbara Bouchet, and Rossella Brescia and the handsome actor Daniel McVicar. Even today there is a representation of the Bersaglieri. Among the wreaths for the actress, in front of the church, that of Sophia Loren near the composition of the Municipality of Rome. The memory of Adriano Aragozzini, friend of the actress and former patron of Sanremo: «I have traveled all over the world with Gina. Australia, Japan, Spain, NY where we visited the exhibition Dean Martin, then Mexico, Argentina and Peru, where she happened to meet in our hotel the first three astronauts to go to the moon and a friendship was formed between them.” Days before his death he said to me: “Because from whom I expected love, it hurt me so much?”». Then Aragozzini concludes: «Today I want to thank those who were close to her for making her life more beautiful».
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January 19, 2023 (change January 19, 2023 | 2:30 p.m.)
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