A Catholic lay missionary who worked
for 30 years to help the poor and needy in his native Palermo
died of cancer aged 59 on Thursday.
Biagio Conte founded the Missione Speranza e Carità (Hope and
Charity Mission) charity in 1993 and worked tirelessly to help
and feed the homeless and poor in the Sicilian capital ever
since then.
Tributes poured in with Mayor Roberto Lagalla speaking of "an
unfillable void in Palermo" and a "human heritage that leaves us
today and which we must not squander".
Sicily Governor Renato Schifani also paid tribute to the
Catholic activist saying "his example will be more vibrant than
ever in inspiring my personal actions of solidarity towards my
fellows, and those of my government".
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