Italy stopped to say goodbye to little Domenico Caliendo, who died at the age of two years and three months on February 21st at the Monaldi hospital in Naples after a heart transplant that ended up at the center of a judicial investigation aimed at ascertaining the responsibilities of this incredible chain of errors. The Cathedral of Nola filled up well before the start of the celebration: a silent crowd accompanied the arrival of the white coffin, positioned in front of the altar for the last embrace of the community.
The father, Antonio Caliendo, carried the coffin on his shoulder along the nave, in a composed and powerful gesture. Next to him his mother, Patrizia Mercolino, who in recent weeks has given voice to the request for truth, welcomed one by one the hugs of those who wanted to be there. The celebration was presided over by the bishop of Nola, Francesco Marino, with the presence of Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, archbishop of Naples, who had been close to the child in his last days. The story of the transplant, from the organ received on December 23 until his death after weeks of ECMO support, remains under investigation.
Bishop Marino’s appeal was touching, inviting everyone to draw inspiration from this story, encouraging organ donation:
It seems to me that Domenico still speaks to us, continuing to encourage us on the delicate topic of organ donation. His story tells us of the generosity of parents who donated a heart and of others who have long hoped for its compatibility. We encourage organ donation as a gesture of great love and generosity.
Also moving is the memory of the mother from the pulpit, who also wanted to thank all the people who were close to her and the family:
If all this crowd moved today it is only thanks to Domenico, his smile, his big eyes, his sweetness. He is embracing us all, I hope it is not the last day that we think of him, that we can keep him in a corner of our hearts. I love you motherly heart.
A mural and a star in the sky
In the city the memory has already been transformed into images. The street artist Luca “Zak” Coia dedicated a digital work to Domenico which would later become a mural: an embrace between mother and son that tells of pure love. The artist explained how today drawing often comes from projectors and digital tools, without taking anything away from the manual skill of color, which remains the heart of the work.
Not only that. A star has been registered in Domenico’s name at the International Space Registry. Identified by the astronomical coordinates 15 42 44.6 26 17 44.3 and by the code IS55-47666-792IT, it can be consulted via the Universe Star Finder 3D app. A symbolic sign, a coordinate in the universe that bears his name.
View this post on Instagram
The city stops: “The child first”
The climate of recollection also involved the world of entertainment. The celebrations that Sal Da Vinci had organized in Naples to celebrate his victory at the Sanremo Festival have been postponed. “The child first of all”, the singer announced, choosing to move the event to the following day.
A gesture welcomed with gratitude, while Naples chose silence. For one afternoon, there was no applause or music, just the soft sound of footsteps in the cathedral. And the gaze turned towards that point of the sky where a star bearing the name of Domenico now shines.
You might also be interested in:
