Germany on Friday offered to fund the reconstruction of the 18th-century church in the small Abruzzo town of Onna, among the worst hit in Monday's devastating earthquake.
In a telephone call with his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini, Foreign Minister Franc-Walter Steinmeier said funding the rebuilding of the church would be Germany's way of expressing solidarity with the quake-stricken region.
Steinmeier also renewed Germany's offer of emergency aid and support in the wake of the tragedy, the German foreign ministry said.
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has turned down foreign offers of emergency aid but has suggested that countries help Italy by 'adopting' monuments hit by the quake.
The premier said the idea of each country helping fund the repair of a major art site had ''raised great interest abroad''.
After contacts in the United States and Europe Wednesday, Berlusconi received ''interested'' replies Thursday from, among others, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Pakistan Premier Yousaf Raza Gillani, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, Slovenian Premier Borut Pahor and French Premier François Fillon.
Practically all of the artistic heritage in the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila suffered serious damage in the earthquake.
Culture Minister Sandro Bondi said Friday that reconstructing the heritage sites damaged in the quake ''will take years''.
''It's a gigantic task,'' he said, adding that while the state had so far pledged 15 million euros for the reconstruction, private donations would be ''fundamental''.
Bondi said he had asked for authorisation to send ministry official Mario Resca to the United States to contact possible sponsors and coordinate donations.
