Palermo ceremony workers protest religious education reforms

Business owners in the ceremony sector, including photographers, DJs, and souvenir shopkeepers, held a sit-in in front of the Archbishop's Curia in Palermo to protest new religious education guidelines. The protest, organized by Confimprese Palermo and the Faith, Economy, and Community Committee, targets a “catechism revolution” that has extended the time required for children to receive sacraments.

Giovanni Felice, president of Confimprese Palermo, argued that the new diocesan project delays sacraments for several years after the technical preparation is complete. He suggested that increasing the intensity of weekly lessons could shorten this period and prevent the economic freeze currently affecting the local industry.

While the demonstration was largely peaceful, some protesters briefly chained themselves to a gate. The demonstrators sought a meeting with church leadership to discuss the economic impact of these changes, but their appeal went unanswered as the Curia remained closed to them.