"Bridge on River Po Named After Bergoglio, Town Council's Decade-Long Discussion"
Let's Talk About Naming a Bridge After Pope Francis
It's been said that Popes are called pontiffs because they build bridges, and Francis certainly did his part. The Bishop of Casale Monferrato, Gianni Sacchi, has put forth a compelling proposition - let's name the Po bridge in Casale after the late Pope Francis.
Gianni Sacchi has asked our local administration, especially Fiorenzo Pivetta, to take up the proposal with the city leaders. But, there's a catch - to officially name anything after someone, ten years must pass since their passing. And, before Pope Francis, two pontiffs, John Paul II and Paul VI, were made saints, both by Francis himself, in 2014 and 2018, respectively.
Now, the Po bridge in question remains unnamed, despite a proposal in 2023 under former Mayor Federico Riboldi to name it after Ugo Martinat, a former National Alliance senator. However, it turned out that Martinat didn't contribute much to the bridge's extension, leading to a political scandal raised by the PD and the ANPI, who wanted to name the bridge after Severino Poletto, a former Turin archbishop, or Tere Novarese Cerutti, a local entrepreneur. Sadly, the proposal never materialized.
Nevertheless, let's hope that our current administration will consider Bishop Sacchi's proposal. After all, Francis's vision of bridging gaps between faiths, helping the marginalized, and reaching out to everyone, makes him a worthy candidate for such a tribute. But remember, politics can be a tricky game, and naming a public structure after a religious figure can stir up controversy, especially amid strong separations between church and state. Only time will tell if Casale Monferrato's iconic Po bridge will become a symbol of Pope Francis's legacy, a bridge linking faith, hope, and love in a beautiful dance of history and community.
In light of the proposal to honor Pope Francis, home-and-garden magazines might feature articles on incorporating his values into one's lifestyle, such as creating a community garden that helps the marginalized or decorating a bridge-themed room to symbolize the bridging of gaps. The name change of Casale Monferrato's Po bridge could inspire a nationwide trend in naming public structures after individuals who have positively impacted their communities, thus bringing about a refreshing home-and-garden lifestyle and landscape.
