Tagged: January 13th

January 13, 1998 Alfredo Ormando, Sicilian intellectual and poet, took his own life by setting himself on fire in St. Peter's Square as a sign of protest against homophobia and the exclusion suffered in his family, in his country, in society and in his church. This date has been chosen to celebrate every year since then the Day for Dialogue between Homosexuality and Religions, to reflect on the complex relationship that religious faiths and their representatives have with LGBT people. As often happens, after the memories and commemorations of the early years, over time, we have all forgotten about Ormando. Unfairly. And it is to remedy this injustice that we have decided to dedicate this page to him.

Appointments

On January 13th we remember Alfredo Ormando who set himself on fire in St. Peter's Square in protest against the homophobia suffered in his church

On 13 January 1998 Alfredo Ormando, a Sicilian intellectual and poet, took his own life by setting himself on fire in St. Peter's Square as a sign of protest against the homophobia and exclusion suffered in his family, in his country, in society and in his church. Since then this date has been chosen to reflect on the complex relationship between religious faiths and their...

Stories of ordinary homophobia

January 13, 1998. Alfredo Ormando, gay and Catholic, sets himself on fire in St. Peter's

Edited by Piero Montana On 13 January 1998 Alfredo Ormando, a thirty-nine year old Sicilian, native of San Cataldo (Caltanissetta), a homosexual with aspirations and ambitions as a writer, burned himself alive in St. Peter's in Rome, dousing himself in petrol and setting himself on fire with a lighter. Rescued by a policeman, who tries to put out the flames with his uniform jacket...

Insights

Alfredo's fire. Death of a gay Catholic

Text published by the Twitter account @JohannesBuckler on June 30, 2021 What am I doing near the colonnade of St. Peter's Square? I got there thanks to the hundred thousand lire that a guest house in Palermo lent me. Of course I notified mum when I left for Rome. It's early in the morning, on January 13, 1998. So many bitter memories. My name is Alfredo (Ormando)*...

Insights

Ormando. A gay Christian, human torch for his church's blindness to homosexuality

Article in the form of a Letter By delia vaccarello published In the Newspaper L'Unità On 13 January 2004 on 13 january six Years Ago alfredo ormando, a gay man and sicilian poet, Set Himself On fire in st. peter's. this text is a first-person written reconstruction Of Alfredo ormando's life also based on the documents made available by Massimo...

Appointments

13 january 2008. Not to forget Alfredo Ormando (Writings and documents)

In order not to forget Alfredo Ormando, a Sicilian homosexual believer who set himself on fire in St. Peter's in Rome on 13 January 1998, to protest against the Vatican), the Gruppo del Guado of Milan has decided to collect on its website some texts regarding his difficult life and his desperate death. Because "we believe that the past,...

LGBT Christians

Open letter to Alfredo Ormando who set himself on fire in St. Peter's Square

Open letter from Gianni Geraci of the Guado Group of Milan dated 13 January 2008 Dear Alfredo, ten years have passed since the day you chose to set yourself on fire to protest against the attitude of the Catholic Church towards homosexual people. The news of your sacrifice was picked up by newspapers all over the world, while the spokesperson of the room...