Massimo Biancalani appeals to Vatican's Apostolic Signatura

Don Massimo Biancalani, the former parish priest of Vicofaro and Ramini in Pistoia, has filed an appeal with the Apostolic Signatura, the highest legal authority in the Catholic Church. This move follows a decree from the Dicastery for the Clergy that confirmed his removal from both parishes.

Represented by lawyers Elena Baldi and Fausto Malucchi, Biancalani is contesting the legitimacy of the decision. The appeal specifically challenges the grounds for his removal from the Ramini parish, arguing that the Dicastery provided insufficient reasoning and failed to follow proper procedures, such as formal warnings from the Bishop.

The legal challenge seeks to address what the defense describes as a summary dismissal regarding Ramini, which they claim was improperly conflated with the controversial management of migrant reception in Vicofaro. The Apostolic Signatura will now review whether formal canonical procedures were correctly followed. A ruling on the preliminary phase is expected in the coming months.