Notorious Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro who was arrested earlier this year after three decades on the run is said to be in a coma and no longer being fed, the Italian media reported, on Saturday (September 23). This comes months after the Italian police arrested the country’s most-wanted mafia boss in the Sicilian capital, Palermo.&nbsp;

<h2>About Messina Denaro’s health</h2>

The 61-year-old who has also been described as “the last godfather of the Sicilian mafia” was arrested back in January after he was caught outside a private clinic for cancer patients where he was receiving treatment under the fake name of Andrea Bonafede.&nbsp;

It was later found that Messina Denaro has colon cancer and doctors say he will not recover. At his own request, life-sustaining measures have been discontinued, said the doctors from the hospital in the central Italian city of L’Aquila.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italian-mobster-matteo-messina-denaro-nabbed-ending-a-30-year-manhunt-553117">Italian mobster Matteo Messina Denaro nabbed, ending a 30-year manhunt</a>

Messina Denaro who has been accused of some of the most heinous crimes committed by the Sicilian mafia and is facing numerous life sentences was detained in a high-security jail in L’Aquila where he had earlier continued treatment in his cell, as per media reports.&nbsp;

However, in early August, Messina Denaro was moved to the inmate ward of the local hospital where his condition has declined in recent days. According to media reports, he is now in an “irreversible coma”.&nbsp;

The medics have stopped feeding him and he has asked not to be resuscitated, reported news agency AFP.&nbsp;

<h2>Italian mobster’s arrest</h2>

Messina Denaro was caught by the Italian anti-mafia police back in January and has been accused of some of the most heinous crimes committed by the Sicilian mafia including the alleged murder of a 12-year-old son of a mobster turned state witness, who was strangled and dissolved in acid.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sisters-coded-note-led-to-the-arrest-of-sicilian-mafias-last-godfather-matteo-messina-denaro-568467">Sister’s coded note led to the arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro, Sicilian mafia’s ‘last godfather’</a>

He came to be known as one of the most ruthless bosses of the Sicilian crime syndicate and was handed six life sentences over the years which includes his involvement in the murder of anti-Mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in 1992.

The 61-year-old reportedly became the “boss of bosses” following the death of Salvatore “The Beast” Riina in November 2022 and once even claimed that he could “fill a cemetery” with his victims.&nbsp;

He also faces a life sentence for his role in bomb attacks in Florence, Rome and Milan which killed at least 10 people.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Notorious Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro who was arrested earlier this year after three decades on the run is said to be in a coma and no longer being fed, the Italian media reported, on Saturday (September 23).

Notorious Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro who was arrested earlier this year after three decades on the run is said to be in a coma and no longer being fed, the Italian media reported, on Saturday (September 23). This comes months after the Italian police arrested the country’s most-wanted mafia boss in the Sicilian capital, Palermo. About Messina Denaro’s health The 61-year-old who has also been described as “the last godfather of the Sicilian mafia” was arrested back in January after he was caught outside a private clinic for cancer patients where he was receiving treatment under the fake name of Andrea Bonafede. It was later found that Messina Denaro has colon cancer and doctors say he will not recover. At his own request, life-sustaining measures have been discontinued, said the doctors from the hospital in the central Italian city of L’Aquila. ALSO READ | Italian mobster Matteo Messina Denaro nabbed, ending a 30-year manhunt Messina Denaro who has been accused of some of the most heinous crimes committed by the Sicilian mafia and is facing numerous life sentences was detained in a high-security jail in L’Aquila where he had earlier continued treatment in his cell, as per media reports. However, in early August, Messina Denaro was moved to the inmate ward of the local hospital where his condition has declined in recent days. According to media reports, he is now in an “irreversible coma”. The medics have stopped feeding him and he has asked not to be resuscitated, reported news agency AFP. Italian mobster’s arrest Messina Denaro was caught by the Italian anti-mafia police back in January and has been accused of some of the most heinous crimes committed by the Sicilian mafia including the alleged murder of a 12-year-old son of a mobster turned state witness, who was strangled and dissolved in acid. ALSO READ | Sister’s coded note led to the arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro, Sicilian mafia’s ‘last godfather’ He came to be known as one of the most ruthless bosses of the Sicilian crime syndicate and was handed six life sentences over the years which includes his involvement in the murder of anti-Mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in 1992. The 61-year-old reportedly became the “boss of bosses” following the death of Salvatore “The Beast” Riina in November 2022 and once even claimed that he could “fill a cemetery” with his victims. He also faces a life sentence for his role in bomb attacks in Florence, Rome and Milan which killed at least 10 people. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sicilian mafia boss and ‘last godfather’ Matteo Messina Denaro ‘in coma’: Reports

The government of Corleone in Sicily has called for the removal of a convicted mafioso and son of Italy’s most feared mobster, in order to protect the town from its bad reputation in the past. The convict named, Giuseppe Salvatore Riina, also known as Salvuccio returned to his home town last April. He is the third-born of the Sicilian mafia’s boss, Salvatore “Toto” Riina, nicknamed the Beast.&nbsp;

The Italian town of Corleone has been immortalised as a mafia stronghold by The Godfather book and film trilogy.&nbsp; 
Salvuccio had been convicted and imprisoned for nearly nine years on charges of extortion, money laundering and mafia association in the past, and was released from prison recently.

A few weeks after his homecoming, the local government of Corleone voted in favour of a resolution demanding that Riina Jr leave the town as the community seeks t escape its mobster past.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydney-cancels-khalistan-propaganda-referendum-organised-by-sikhs-for-justice-591555">Sydney cancels Khalistan propaganda referendum organised by Sikhs For Justice</a>

&nbsp;“We want to send a loud and clear message once again: Corleone wants to leave behind its mafia past [behind], even by pushing away unwelcome fellow citizens, such as Salvuccio Riina who has never distanced himself from the despicable crimes of his father, Totò,” reads the resolution. “The reputational damage that the Riina family has caused to the city is serious and difficult to recover.”

After forwarding the resolution to law enforcement officers, the ultimate decision to remove Salvuccio now rests with magistrates in the Sicilian capital, Palermo.&nbsp;

Toto Riina rose to power in the mid-1970s, when he became the de facto leader of the Corleone crime family. By then, Sicily had already become a hub for the heroin trade into the US following the Vietnam War, and Riina took advantage of the situation to control the inflows of narcodollars to his rivals in Palermo.&nbsp;

His rise resulted in plunged violence in the town, not only did he assassinate his criminal rivals on an unprecedented scale in the 1980s and 90s, but also targeted the prosecutors, journalists and judges who sought to stand in his way. He is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, including a 13-year-old boy who was kidnapped, strangled and dissolved in acid.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/israeli-airstrikes-kill-30-palestinians-on-gaza-strip-591545">Israeli airstrikes kill 30 Palestinians on Gaza strip</a>

Riina remained the undisputed boss of the Sicilian mafia until the day he died in prison in November 2017. The late mafia had four children, Maria Concetta, Giovanni Francesco, Giuseppe Salvatore and Lucia.&nbsp;

His son Giovanni was only 19 years old when his father ordered him to strangle a kidnapped businesswoman in the countryside. It was an important task for Giovanni as it would mark his formal entry into the Sicilian mafia, the Costa Nostra, He was sentenced to life in prison in 1996.&nbsp;

Salvuccio, convicted of mafia membership in 2004, lived in the north of Italy until his return last month.&nbsp;

In 2016, he wrote a book entitled Riina Family Life, which sparked controversy in the country. Following its publication, signs appeared in store windows from Sicily to Milan advising customers that the book would not be found on the shelves inside.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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The government of Corleone in Sicily has called for the removal of a convicted mafioso and son of Italy’s most feared mobster, in order to protect the town from its bad reputation in the past.

The government of Corleone in Sicily has called for the removal of a convicted mafioso and son of Italy’s most feared mobster, in order to protect the town from its bad reputation in the past. The convict named, Giuseppe Salvatore Riina, also known as Salvuccio returned to his home town last April. He is the third-born of the Sicilian mafia’s boss, Salvatore “Toto” Riina, nicknamed the Beast. The Italian town of Corleone has been immortalised as a mafia stronghold by The Godfather book and film trilogy. Salvuccio had been convicted and imprisoned for nearly nine years on charges of extortion, money laundering and mafia association in the past, and was released from prison recently. A few weeks after his homecoming, the local government of Corleone voted in favour of a resolution demanding that Riina Jr leave the town as the community seeks t escape its mobster past. Also Read | Sydney cancels Khalistan propaganda referendum organised by Sikhs For Justice “We want to send a loud and clear message once again: Corleone wants to leave behind its mafia past [behind], even by pushing away unwelcome fellow citizens, such as Salvuccio Riina who has never distanced himself from the despicable crimes of his father, Totò,” reads the resolution. “The reputational damage that the Riina family has caused to the city is serious and difficult to recover.” After forwarding the resolution to law enforcement officers, the ultimate decision to remove Salvuccio now rests with magistrates in the Sicilian capital, Palermo. Toto Riina rose to power in the mid-1970s, when he became the de facto leader of the Corleone crime family. By then, Sicily had already become a hub for the heroin trade into the US following the Vietnam War, and Riina took advantage of the situation to control the inflows of narcodollars to his rivals in Palermo. His rise resulted in plunged violence in the town, not only did he assassinate his criminal rivals on an unprecedented scale in the 1980s and 90s, but also targeted the prosecutors, journalists and judges who sought to stand in his way. He is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, including a 13-year-old boy who was kidnapped, strangled and dissolved in acid. Also Read | Israeli airstrikes kill 30 Palestinians on Gaza strip Riina remained the undisputed boss of the Sicilian mafia until the day he died in prison in November 2017. The late mafia had four children, Maria Concetta, Giovanni Francesco, Giuseppe Salvatore and Lucia. His son Giovanni was only 19 years old when his father ordered him to strangle a kidnapped businesswoman in the countryside. It was an important task for Giovanni as it would mark his formal entry into the Sicilian mafia, the Costa Nostra, He was sentenced to life in prison in 1996. Salvuccio, convicted of mafia membership in 2004, lived in the north of Italy until his return last month. In 2016, he wrote a book entitled Riina Family Life, which sparked controversy in the country. Following its publication, signs appeared in store windows from Sicily to Milan advising customers that the book would not be found on the shelves inside. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Italy: Corleone government to expel son of mafia boss to protect town from 'reputational damage'

The Italian police arrested the country’s most-wanted mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro after a coded note or pizzini (small pieces of papers that Denaro used to deliver his hand-typed instructions) was found in his older sister’s house. Denaro who has also been described as “the last godfather of the Sicilian mafia” was arrested earlier this year, as per media reports citing court documents and the arrest warrant.&nbsp;

Additionally, Rosalia (Rosetta) Messina Denaro was also arrested on Friday (March 3) for allegedly helping her brother to evade arrest for nearly three decades now and acting as a “cashier” of the “family”, reported the Guardian. The 67-year-old was detained in Sicily on mafia membership charges said the local police in a 57-page arrest warrant.&nbsp;

Her brother who until January was Italy’s, most-wanted man was caught in Palermo on January 16 outside a private clinic for cancer patients where he was receiving treatment under the fake name of Andrea Bonafede. Reportedly, more than 100 members of the armed forces were involved in the arrest.&nbsp;

According to the warrant, the 60-year-old’s arrest came after police found a coded note inside the leg of an aluminium chair at Rosalia’s residence in the western Sicilian town of Castelvetrano. The analysis of the note which seemed like a random mix of letters, signs, and words also revealed that the mafia boss was struggling with colon cancer.&nbsp;

Notably, his sister was also supposedly running the network of pizzini helping her brother the mafia boss to maintain communication with his organisation while he was in hiding. The warrant also described Rosalia as a woman with “origins and traditions all inspired by an orthodox and rock-hard mafia culture”.&nbsp;

Alfredo Montalto, who ordered her arrest said that Rosalia was “a person of absolute trust of the boss. She managed the network of pizzini through which Denaro delivered his orders to the other associates.” Meanwhile, his sister who allegedly had a major role in her mafia family used the code name “Fragolone”, or “big strawberry,” to communicate with her brother.&nbsp;

According to reports, Rosalia’s husband, Filippo Guttadauro is also a convicted Sicilian mobster, while her daughter Lorenza is Matteo Messina Denaro’s defence lawyer. Among the long list of charges against the mafia boss includes the killings of anti-mafia magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in bomb attacks in 1992.&nbsp;

Additionally, Denaro also has also been accused of some of the most heinous crimes committed by the Sicilian mafia like the alleged murder of a 12-year-old son of a mobster turned state witness, who was strangled and dissolved in acid.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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The Italian police arrested the country’s most-wanted mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro after a coded note or pizzini (small pieces of papers that Denaro used to deliver his hand-typed instructions) was found in his older sister’s house.

The Italian police arrested the country’s most-wanted mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro after a coded note or pizzini (small pieces of papers that Denaro used to deliver his hand-typed instructions) was found in his older sister’s house. Denaro who has also been described as “the last godfather of the Sicilian mafia” was arrested earlier this year, as per media reports citing court documents and the arrest warrant. Additionally, Rosalia (Rosetta) Messina Denaro was also arrested on Friday (March 3) for allegedly helping her brother to evade arrest for nearly three decades now and acting as a “cashier” of the “family”, reported the Guardian. The 67-year-old was detained in Sicily on mafia membership charges said the local police in a 57-page arrest warrant. Her brother who until January was Italy’s, most-wanted man was caught in Palermo on January 16 outside a private clinic for cancer patients where he was receiving treatment under the fake name of Andrea Bonafede. Reportedly, more than 100 members of the armed forces were involved in the arrest. According to the warrant, the 60-year-old’s arrest came after police found a coded note inside the leg of an aluminium chair at Rosalia’s residence in the western Sicilian town of Castelvetrano. The analysis of the note which seemed like a random mix of letters, signs, and words also revealed that the mafia boss was struggling with colon cancer. Notably, his sister was also supposedly running the network of pizzini helping her brother the mafia boss to maintain communication with his organisation while he was in hiding. The warrant also described Rosalia as a woman with “origins and traditions all inspired by an orthodox and rock-hard mafia culture”. Alfredo Montalto, who ordered her arrest said that Rosalia was “a person of absolute trust of the boss. She managed the network of pizzini through which Denaro delivered his orders to the other associates.” Meanwhile, his sister who allegedly had a major role in her mafia family used the code name “Fragolone”, or “big strawberry,” to communicate with her brother. According to reports, Rosalia’s husband, Filippo Guttadauro is also a convicted Sicilian mobster, while her daughter Lorenza is Matteo Messina Denaro’s defence lawyer. Among the long list of charges against the mafia boss includes the killings of anti-mafia magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in bomb attacks in 1992. Additionally, Denaro also has also been accused of some of the most heinous crimes committed by the Sicilian mafia like the alleged murder of a 12-year-old son of a mobster turned state witness, who was strangled and dissolved in acid. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sister’s coded note led to the arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro, Sicilian mafia’s ‘last godfather’

The serene Italian island of Sicily handed down jail sentences to 39 people after convicting them for diverting a Good Friday religious procession to the house of a mafia family. The 39 people had diverted the parade to force it to pay homage to an imprisoned mafia boss.

What happened?

In 2016, a group of people were carrying a statue of Jesus Christ through the village of San Michele Di Ganzaria during Easter. The accused individuals are reported to have stopped the procession and forced it to pass in front of the house of the mafia godfather Fancesco La Rocca.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-italian-mobster-belonging-to-the-ndrangheta-mafia-captured-in-argentina-530207">Top Italian mobster belonging to the 'Ndrangheta mafia captured in Argentina</a>

La Rocca was serving a life sentence at the time for mafia-related crimes. However, his wife came out of the house to greet the wellwishers and made an offering.

This suffering will bear fruit: Sicilian archbishop

The mayor and priest of San Michele Di Ganzaria refused to follow the procession away from its official route and denounced those responsible for diverting it.

A Sicilian archbishop said that the sentence would deter others from doing anything similar in future.

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-italian-mobster-belonging-to-the-ndrangheta-mafia-captured-in-argentina-530207">Gravitas Plus: How Big Pharma pushes dangerous drugs and reaps profits</a>

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“You should never invoke God or his name, which is certainly not on the side of the Mafiosi, who are violent and ruthless men,” the archbishop of Catania, Luigi Renna, said in a statement.

The group was convicted of disturbing a religious event and incitement to commit crimes. The eight ringleaders received three-year terms, and the others were sentenced to between six months and two years, nine months in jail.

“This sentence is certainly going to make people suffer, but I hope that the suffering will bear fruit,” the archbishop said.

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The serene Italian island of Sicily handed down jail sentences to 39 people after convicting them for diverting a Good Friday religious procession to the house of a mafia family.

The serene Italian island of Sicily handed down jail sentences to 39 people after convicting them for diverting a Good Friday religious procession to the house of a mafia family. The 39 people had diverted the parade to force it to pay homage to an imprisoned mafia boss. What happened? In 2016, a group of people were carrying a statue of Jesus Christ through the village of San Michele Di Ganzaria during Easter. The accused individuals are reported to have stopped the procession and forced it to pass in front of the house of the mafia godfather Fancesco La Rocca. ALSO READ | Top Italian mobster belonging to the 'Ndrangheta mafia captured in Argentina La Rocca was serving a life sentence at the time for mafia-related crimes. However, his wife came out of the house to greet the wellwishers and made an offering. This suffering will bear fruit: Sicilian archbishop The mayor and priest of San Michele Di Ganzaria refused to follow the procession away from its official route and denounced those responsible for diverting it. A Sicilian archbishop said that the sentence would deter others from doing anything similar in future. WATCH | Gravitas Plus: How Big Pharma pushes dangerous drugs and reaps profits × “You should never invoke God or his name, which is certainly not on the side of the Mafiosi, who are violent and ruthless men,” the archbishop of Catania, Luigi Renna, said in a statement. The group was convicted of disturbing a religious event and incitement to commit crimes. The eight ringleaders received three-year terms, and the others were sentenced to between six months and two years, nine months in jail. “This sentence is certainly going to make people suffer, but I hope that the suffering will bear fruit,” the archbishop said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sicillian mobsters who hijacked Easter procession to a mafia godfather's house jailed for 80 years

An Italian&nbsp;judge&nbsp;murdered by the&nbsp;mafia&nbsp;in Sicily&nbsp;takes&nbsp;a&nbsp;step&nbsp;towards&nbsp;sainthood&nbsp;Sunday, almost three decades after being declared a martyr by pope John Paul II.

The beatification of Rosario Livatino will take place in the cathedral in Agrigento, the&nbsp;Sicilian&nbsp;town near where he was gunned down aged 38 on September 21, 1990.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Pope facilitates Vatican prosecutions for cardinals, bishops">Pope facilitates Vatican prosecutions for cardinals, bishops</a>

In a preface to a new book about the&nbsp;judge, Pope Francis hailed him as a "righteous man who knew he did not deserve that unjust death".

Livatino, who prayed in church every day before going to court, had been involved in a mass trial against mafioso and was about to launch a new case when he died.

He was found in a ditch by the roadside a few miles from his home. He had refused armed protection.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="2 American students handed life sentences in Italy for cop's murder">2 American students handed life sentences in Italy for cop's murder</a>

Many of his notes were later found to be marked STD, for "sub tutela Dei", a Latin invocation meaning "under the protection of God" which judges of the Middle Ages used before taking official decisions.

The notes also showed he asked God's forgiveness for the risks his work exposed his parents to, once he learned that the bosses of the Cosa Nostra had him in their sights.

When John Paul II visited Livatino's parents in 1993, he said the&nbsp;judge&nbsp;was "a martyr for justice and indirectly for the faith".

Under Church law, if martyrdom is established, then beatification -- the penultimate accolade before canonisation -- moves ahead quickly without the proof of miracles required of other candidates for&nbsp;sainthood.

The two&nbsp;mafia&nbsp;members who&nbsp;killed&nbsp;Livatino, identified by a man who drove past at the moment of the crime, were given life sentences.

Livatino was one of the first investigating magistrates in Italy who moved to seize assets belonging to the&nbsp;mafia, according to Luigi Ciotti, a priest known for his own fight against organised crime.

"He understood that would lead to a weakening of the clans, their loss of control and also of social control," Ciotti wrote in another biography of the murdered&nbsp;judge.

Today, a cooperative of young people bears Livatino's name and cultivates land confiscated from the&nbsp;Sicilian&nbsp;mafia.

Less than two years after Livatino's death, anti-mafia&nbsp;prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were also murdered by the&nbsp;mob.

Since he was elected pope in 2013, Francis has spoken out repeatedly against organised crime groups.

In an open-air mass in Sicily in September 2018, during a trip to honour a priest&nbsp;killed&nbsp;by the&nbsp;mafia&nbsp;25 years earlier, the Argentine pontiff condemned those who belong to the&nbsp;mafia&nbsp;as "blasphemous".

"You can't believe in God and belong to the&nbsp;mafia," he said.

His impassioned plea echoed the words of Jean Paul II who, during his May 1993 trip to the island, had also called on mobsters to abandon crime, and urged Sicilians to revolt against the&nbsp;mafia.

An Italian judge murdered by the mafia in Sicily takes a step towards sainthood Sunday, almost three decades after being declared a martyr by pope John Paul II. The beatification of Rosario Livatino will take place in the cathedral in Agrigento, the Sicilian town near where he was gunned down aged 38 on September 21, 1990.

An Italian judge murdered by the mafia in Sicily takes a step towards sainthood Sunday, almost three decades after being declared a martyr by pope John Paul II. The beatification of Rosario Livatino will take place in the cathedral in Agrigento, the Sicilian town near where he was gunned down aged 38 on September 21, 1990. Also read | Pope facilitates Vatican prosecutions for cardinals, bishops In a preface to a new book about the judge, Pope Francis hailed him as a "righteous man who knew he did not deserve that unjust death". Livatino, who prayed in church every day before going to court, had been involved in a mass trial against mafioso and was about to launch a new case when he died. He was found in a ditch by the roadside a few miles from his home. He had refused armed protection. Also read | 2 American students handed life sentences in Italy for cop's murder Many of his notes were later found to be marked STD, for "sub tutela Dei", a Latin invocation meaning "under the protection of God" which judges of the Middle Ages used before taking official decisions. The notes also showed he asked God's forgiveness for the risks his work exposed his parents to, once he learned that the bosses of the Cosa Nostra had him in their sights. When John Paul II visited Livatino's parents in 1993, he said the judge was "a martyr for justice and indirectly for the faith". Under Church law, if martyrdom is established, then beatification -- the penultimate accolade before canonisation -- moves ahead quickly without the proof of miracles required of other candidates for sainthood. The two mafia members who killed Livatino, identified by a man who drove past at the moment of the crime, were given life sentences. Livatino was one of the first investigating magistrates in Italy who moved to seize assets belonging to the mafia, according to Luigi Ciotti, a priest known for his own fight against organised crime. "He understood that would lead to a weakening of the clans, their loss of control and also of social control," Ciotti wrote in another biography of the murdered judge. Today, a cooperative of young people bears Livatino's name and cultivates land confiscated from the Sicilian mafia. Less than two years after Livatino's death, anti-mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were also murdered by the mob. Since he was elected pope in 2013, Francis has spoken out repeatedly against organised crime groups. In an open-air mass in Sicily in September 2018, during a trip to honour a priest killed by the mafia 25 years earlier, the Argentine pontiff condemned those who belong to the mafia as "blasphemous". "You can't believe in God and belong to the mafia," he said. His impassioned plea echoed the words of Jean Paul II who, during his May 1993 trip to the island, had also called on mobsters to abandon crime, and urged Sicilians to revolt against the mafia.

Sicilian judge killed by mafia takes step to sainthood

Italy police arrest mafia's new 'boss of bosses' in Sicily

Former &quot;boss of bosses&quot; Toto Riina, one of the most feared Godfathers in the history of the Sicilian Mafia, died early Friday after battling cancer, the government said.

Riina, who had been serving 26 life sentences and is thought to have ordered more than 150 murders, had been in a medically-induced coma after his health deteriorated following two operations.

The mobster, who turned 87 on Thursday, died in the prisoners` wing of a hospital in Parma in northern Italy just before 4:00 am (0300 GMT), a ministry of justice spokesman told AFP.

Nicknamed &quot;The Beast&quot; because of his cruelty, Salvatore &quot;Toto&quot; Riina led a reign of terror for decades after taking control of the island`s powerful organized crime group Cosa Nostra in the 1970s.

The most high-profile murders he ordered were those in 1992 of anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who had worked to bring more than 300 mobsters to trial in 1987.

&quot;Riina will go down in history as the man who destroyed Cosa Nostra,&quot; newspaper La Repubblica`s Mafia expert Attilio Bolzoni said.

&quot;With his strategy of bloody massacres in Sicily and across Italy... he turned an invisible Mafia visible, with hundreds, thousands of murders, carried out first with Kalashnikovs, then bombs&quot;.

Riina also famously ordered the brutal murder of a 13-year old boy who was kidnapped in a bid to stop his father from spilling Mafia secrets. The boy was strangled and his body dissolved in acid.

&quot;God have mercy on him, as we won`t,&quot; an association for victims said of Riina in comments to the Fatto Quotidiano daily.

Riina`s family had been given permission by Italy`s health ministry Thursday for a rare visit to say goodbye.

&quot;You`re not Toto Riina to me, you`re just my dad. And I wish you happy birthday dad on this sad but important day, I love you,&quot; one of his sons Salvatore wrote on Facebook.

The ageing gangster had asked in July to be released from prison on the grounds of serious illness -- a request that was denied after a court ruled the care he received behind bars was as good as he would get on the outside.Doctors said at the time that the former boss was &quot;lucid&quot;. He was caught on a wiretap earlier this year saying he &quot;regrets nothing... They`ll never break me, even if they give me 3,000 years&quot; in jail.

The son of a poor farmer, he was born on November 16, 1930, in Corleone, a village near Palermo that would become synonymous with the Mafia through Francis Ford Coppola`s popular Godfather film trilogy.

He lost his father and a brother young when they were blown up trying to extract gunpowder from an unexploded American bomb in 1943. By the time he was 19, he had killed his first victim.

He started off as a foot soldier to boss Luciano Leggio before moving up through the ranks, going on the run in 1969 but continuing to lead first the Corleone clan then the entire Sicilian mob from hiding.

He would elude police efforts to snare him for almost a quarter of a century, without ever leaving Sicily.

Riina was slapped with multiple life sentences in absentia after a fellow mobster turned state witness.

The &quot;Beast&quot; retaliated by ordering the deaths of 11 of the turncoat`s relatives. He was eventually captured in 1993 after a tip-off from a rival.

Riina, who had been serving 26 life sentences and is thought to have ordered more than 150 murders, had been in a medically-induced coma after his health deteriorated following two operations

Former "boss of bosses" Toto Riina, one of the most feared Godfathers in the history of the Sicilian Mafia, died early Friday after battling cancer, the government said. Riina, who had been serving 26 life sentences and is thought to have ordered more than 150 murders, had been in a medically-induced coma after his health deteriorated following two operations. The mobster, who turned 87 on Thursday, died in the prisoners` wing of a hospital in Parma in northern Italy just before 4:00 am (0300 GMT), a ministry of justice spokesman told AFP. Nicknamed "The Beast" because of his cruelty, Salvatore "Toto" Riina led a reign of terror for decades after taking control of the island`s powerful organized crime group Cosa Nostra in the 1970s. The most high-profile murders he ordered were those in 1992 of anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who had worked to bring more than 300 mobsters to trial in 1987. "Riina will go down in history as the man who destroyed Cosa Nostra," newspaper La Repubblica`s Mafia expert Attilio Bolzoni said. "With his strategy of bloody massacres in Sicily and across Italy... he turned an invisible Mafia visible, with hundreds, thousands of murders, carried out first with Kalashnikovs, then bombs". Riina also famously ordered the brutal murder of a 13-year old boy who was kidnapped in a bid to stop his father from spilling Mafia secrets. The boy was strangled and his body dissolved in acid. "God have mercy on him, as we won`t," an association for victims said of Riina in comments to the Fatto Quotidiano daily. Riina`s family had been given permission by Italy`s health ministry Thursday for a rare visit to say goodbye. "You`re not Toto Riina to me, you`re just my dad. And I wish you happy birthday dad on this sad but important day, I love you," one of his sons Salvatore wrote on Facebook. The ageing gangster had asked in July to be released from prison on the grounds of serious illness -- a request that was denied after a court ruled the care he received behind bars was as good as he would get on the outside.Doctors said at the time that the former boss was "lucid". He was caught on a wiretap earlier this year saying he "regrets nothing... They`ll never break me, even if they give me 3,000 years" in jail. The son of a poor farmer, he was born on November 16, 1930, in Corleone, a village near Palermo that would become synonymous with the Mafia through Francis Ford Coppola`s popular Godfather film trilogy. He lost his father and a brother young when they were blown up trying to extract gunpowder from an unexploded American bomb in 1943. By the time he was 19, he had killed his first victim. He started off as a foot soldier to boss Luciano Leggio before moving up through the ranks, going on the run in 1969 but continuing to lead first the Corleone clan then the entire Sicilian mob from hiding. He would elude police efforts to snare him for almost a quarter of a century, without ever leaving Sicily. Riina was slapped with multiple life sentences in absentia after a fellow mobster turned state witness. The "Beast" retaliated by ordering the deaths of 11 of the turncoat`s relatives. He was eventually captured in 1993 after a tip-off from a rival.

Sicilian Mafia 'Beast' Toto Riina dies

Bernardo Provenzano, one of the most important bosses of Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian mafia, died on Tuesday in San Paolo Hospital, Milano, at the age of 83. He was given permission to leave his high security cell in April due to his worsening health.&nbsp; 
 
The &lsquo;boss of the bosses&rsquo; was arrested in July 2011 after 43 years in hiding. Italian police found him in an isolated house in the Sicilian countryside, just a few kilometres from his home town, Corleone.&nbsp; 
 
He was serving 20 life sentences under the disputed article, 41bis, of the Italian law, which mandates constant video surveillance and complete isolation in prison. He was allowed to meet family only once a month and communication could happen only by phone &ndash; through a thick glass panel. 
 
This is, however, not surprising, given how he managed to hoodwink the police for more than four decades, using some very primitive methods to communicate with his associates, perhaps to get around any electronic surveillance they may have been put under.&nbsp; 
 
After his arrest, it was found that Provenzano had developed a peculiar system of communication &ndash; the &ldquo;pizzini&rdquo; or bits of paper. These were cryptic notes, often passages from the Bible, that could be decoded only by an extremely narrow circle of his loyalists. A copy of the Christian holy book with extensive notations and underlined passages was recovered from his hideout at the time of his arrest. 
&nbsp; 
Bernardo Provenzano, third of seven brothers, went through &ndash; and survived &ndash; most of the modern history of Cosa Nostra, its changes and its wars. And climbed the ladder all way to the top &ndash; step by step, from a simple affiliate to the mafia boss.&nbsp; 
 
In 1958, along with his friend, Salvatore &quot;Toto&quot; Riina, he was part of the bunch that ambushed and killed the ruling gotha of the Corleone family to support a new boss, Luciano Leggio.&nbsp; 
 
More men were to die in order to secure power for the newcomers, who decided to come down on the dispute with a heavy hand, starting the first mafia war.&nbsp; 
 
When Salvatore &quot;Toto&quot; Riina became the boss of the Corleone family in 1974, Provenzano was nominated second in command.&nbsp; 
 
According to testimonies given by justice collaborators, he worked behind the scenes, managing the relations between Cosa Nostra and government institutions. &nbsp; 
 
Provenzano changed his nickname from &quot;u&#39; tratturi&quot; &ndash; the tractor, to &quot;il ragioniere&quot; &ndash; the accountant, probably due to his ability to win public contracts and manage financial investments.&nbsp; 
 
The 70&#39;s are a turning point in the history of Cosa Nostra. The organisation changed its main source of income, shifting from tobacco smuggling to heroin manufacture and distribution. Their wealth grew exponentially.&nbsp; 
 
More money called for more ambition and war became inevitable. Between 1981 and 1983, the Corleone family started the second mafia war, wiping out the majority of their rivals with a hail of bullets, becoming the effective leader of the entire Cosa Nostra.&nbsp; 
 
More than a thousand killings in two years transformed the southern island of Sicily, perhaps the most beautiful part of Italy, into a war zone. Many innocents lost their lives.&nbsp; 
 
The attack was meant to be definitive and government institutions were not spared. The communist congressman Pio La Torre, author of an anti-mafia law and his driver, Rosario Di Salvo, were riddled with bullets while driving. And so was General Mario Alberto Dalla Chiesa, his wife, Emanuela Setti Carraro, and Domenico Russo, a policeman. The General was posted in Sicily specifically to dismantle the island&rsquo;s criminal network. And this is just to name a few.&nbsp; 
 
In 1993, Riina was arrested thanks to the tireless work of the anti-mafia pool led by two Italian judges, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who were subsequently killed in car bombings in acts of revenge. &nbsp; 
 
The arrest of a boss of this calibre left a big vacuum in Cosa Nostra and many were ready to kill for it.&nbsp; 
 
Provenzano decided to bide his time and history proved him right again. In a few years, many of the men willing to take over Riina&#39;s role were arrested. Many, but not Provenzano, who took what he considered to be his natural position in the mafia pyramid &ndash; the boss of the bosses, one of the most wanted criminals on earth.&nbsp; 
 
He understood Riina&#39;s mistake was too much blood on the streets. And one of the oldest rules of crime speaks clearly &ndash; blood calls for police and cops are not good for business. Again, history proved him right and he ruled Cosa Nostra and escaped arrest for another 23 years. 
 
The story of his capture says a lot about the veil of silence and protection that Cosa Nostra enjoyed for decades in Italy and, to an extent, still enjoys.&nbsp; 
 
Cosa Nostra, and other criminal organisations in general, rule on the basis of fear. If you have seen something that you should not have, keep your mouth shut, and pretend nothing happened. If you talk, you will be dead. Looking away has often been perceived as the safest way to live a long and happy life. 
&nbsp; 
This attitude has a name in Italy &ndash; &nbsp;&lsquo;omert?&rsquo; &ndash; &nbsp;the most powerful enemy that police, judges, honest citizens and investigative journalists faced in their war against the mafia. A literal translation of the word is not possible in English, but &quot;code of silence&quot; is the closest.&nbsp; 
 
Random footage from Italian television on mafia murders in the 80&#39;s reveal how deep this &lsquo;code of silence&rsquo; ran. A stressed reporter runs around with his microphone asking people standing a few metres from a dead body if they had seen something, if they knew something. The answer was always the same: &quot;No, I know nothing&quot;. This is repeated in one case after the other. 
 
It did not matter if the murder was committed in full daylight, in the crowded main square of a town, questions always faced a solid, palpable wall of silence.&nbsp; 
 
This silence has been Provenzano&#39;s insurance for decades &ndash; 43 years on the run &ndash; most likely spent not too far from where he had always lived. &nbsp; 
 
He even managed to cross borders. DNA evidences available now suggest he travelled to the French port city of Marseille in 2002 for a surgery. &nbsp; 
 
It is commonly agreed in Italy that such a long time in hiding would have not been possible without an extensive and wide network of protection, probably reaching the highest echelons of society. Investigations on the matter are on. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
But as is the case with every criminal, it is not possible to control everything, and sometimes the smallest and the most innocuous of things give you away. It was another old style trick that helped the police to zero-in on Provenzano&#39;s location. Detectives followed a basket carrying clean laundry that was delivered by his family to his hideout. 
&nbsp; 
Following his arrest in 2006, it is commonly believed both by Italian and international law enforcement agencies that Matteo Messina Denaro has taken over Cosa Nostra&#39;s reins.&nbsp; 
 
The story is again similar to Provenzano&rsquo;s. Denaro is another &quot;invisible&quot; man. He has been on the run for 23 years and there are no recent photographs of him. 
 
During his detention, Bernardo Provenzano never cooperated with investigators. Airing secrets and revealing details was not a viable option for a man in his position. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
His secrets died with him. And there is no place safer for secrets than a graveyard. &nbsp;Provenzano&#39;s death will definitely frustrate any further attempts to dismantle Cosa Nostra, an authoritarian organisation that holds its power with fear, murder and drug money. 
&nbsp;

Provenzano was a deputy to the Corleones? in the 70s, but was in no rush to rule the mafia. He went on to become the 'boss of the bosses?

Bernardo Provenzano, one of the most important bosses of Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian mafia, died on Tuesday in San Paolo Hospital, Milano, at the age of 83. He was given permission to leave his high security cell in April due to his worsening health. The ‘boss of the bosses’ was arrested in July 2011 after 43 years in hiding. Italian police found him in an isolated house in the Sicilian countryside, just a few kilometres from his home town, Corleone. He was serving 20 life sentences under the disputed article, 41bis, of the Italian law, which mandates constant video surveillance and complete isolation in prison. He was allowed to meet family only once a month and communication could happen only by phone – through a thick glass panel. This is, however, not surprising, given how he managed to hoodwink the police for more than four decades, using some very primitive methods to communicate with his associates, perhaps to get around any electronic surveillance they may have been put under. After his arrest, it was found that Provenzano had developed a peculiar system of communication – the “pizzini” or bits of paper. These were cryptic notes, often passages from the Bible, that could be decoded only by an extremely narrow circle of his loyalists. A copy of the Christian holy book with extensive notations and underlined passages was recovered from his hideout at the time of his arrest. Bernardo Provenzano, third of seven brothers, went through – and survived – most of the modern history of Cosa Nostra, its changes and its wars. And climbed the ladder all way to the top – step by step, from a simple affiliate to the mafia boss. In 1958, along with his friend, Salvatore "Toto" Riina, he was part of the bunch that ambushed and killed the ruling gotha of the Corleone family to support a new boss, Luciano Leggio. More men were to die in order to secure power for the newcomers, who decided to come down on the dispute with a heavy hand, starting the first mafia war. When Salvatore "Toto" Riina became the boss of the Corleone family in 1974, Provenzano was nominated second in command. According to testimonies given by justice collaborators, he worked behind the scenes, managing the relations between Cosa Nostra and government institutions. Provenzano changed his nickname from "u' tratturi" – the tractor, to "il ragioniere" – the accountant, probably due to his ability to win public contracts and manage financial investments. The 70's are a turning point in the history of Cosa Nostra. The organisation changed its main source of income, shifting from tobacco smuggling to heroin manufacture and distribution. Their wealth grew exponentially. More money called for more ambition and war became inevitable. Between 1981 and 1983, the Corleone family started the second mafia war, wiping out the majority of their rivals with a hail of bullets, becoming the effective leader of the entire Cosa Nostra. More than a thousand killings in two years transformed the southern island of Sicily, perhaps the most beautiful part of Italy, into a war zone. Many innocents lost their lives. The attack was meant to be definitive and government institutions were not spared. The communist congressman Pio La Torre, author of an anti-mafia law and his driver, Rosario Di Salvo, were riddled with bullets while driving. And so was General Mario Alberto Dalla Chiesa, his wife, Emanuela Setti Carraro, and Domenico Russo, a policeman. The General was posted in Sicily specifically to dismantle the island’s criminal network. And this is just to name a few. In 1993, Riina was arrested thanks to the tireless work of the anti-mafia pool led by two Italian judges, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who were subsequently killed in car bombings in acts of revenge. The arrest of a boss of this calibre left a big vacuum in Cosa Nostra and many were ready to kill for it. Provenzano decided to bide his time and history proved him right again. In a few years, many of the men willing to take over Riina's role were arrested. Many, but not Provenzano, who took what he considered to be his natural position in the mafia pyramid – the boss of the bosses, one of the most wanted criminals on earth. He understood Riina's mistake was too much blood on the streets. And one of the oldest rules of crime speaks clearly – blood calls for police and cops are not good for business. Again, history proved him right and he ruled Cosa Nostra and escaped arrest for another 23 years. The story of his capture says a lot about the veil of silence and protection that Cosa Nostra enjoyed for decades in Italy and, to an extent, still enjoys. Cosa Nostra, and other criminal organisations in general, rule on the basis of fear. If you have seen something that you should not have, keep your mouth shut, and pretend nothing happened. If you talk, you will be dead. Looking away has often been perceived as the safest way to live a long and happy life. This attitude has a name in Italy – ‘omert?’ – the most powerful enemy that police, judges, honest citizens and investigative journalists faced in their war against the mafia. A literal translation of the word is not possible in English, but "code of silence" is the closest. Random footage from Italian television on mafia murders in the 80's reveal how deep this ‘code of silence’ ran. A stressed reporter runs around with his microphone asking people standing a few metres from a dead body if they had seen something, if they knew something. The answer was always the same: "No, I know nothing". This is repeated in one case after the other. It did not matter if the murder was committed in full daylight, in the crowded main square of a town, questions always faced a solid, palpable wall of silence. This silence has been Provenzano's insurance for decades – 43 years on the run – most likely spent not too far from where he had always lived. He even managed to cross borders. DNA evidences available now suggest he travelled to the French port city of Marseille in 2002 for a surgery. It is commonly agreed in Italy that such a long time in hiding would have not been possible without an extensive and wide network of protection, probably reaching the highest echelons of society. Investigations on the matter are on. But as is the case with every criminal, it is not possible to control everything, and sometimes the smallest and the most innocuous of things give you away. It was another old style trick that helped the police to zero-in on Provenzano's location. Detectives followed a basket carrying clean laundry that was delivered by his family to his hideout. Following his arrest in 2006, it is commonly believed both by Italian and international law enforcement agencies that Matteo Messina Denaro has taken over Cosa Nostra's reins. The story is again similar to Provenzano’s. Denaro is another "invisible" man. He has been on the run for 23 years and there are no recent photographs of him. During his detention, Bernardo Provenzano never cooperated with investigators. Airing secrets and revealing details was not a viable option for a man in his position. His secrets died with him. And there is no place safer for secrets than a graveyard. Provenzano's death will definitely frustrate any further attempts to dismantle Cosa Nostra, an authoritarian organisation that holds its power with fear, murder and drug money.

Who Bernardo Provenzano was: Sicilian mafia boss who ruled Cosa Nostra

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