(ANSA) - Sicilian activist priest Ennio Pintacuda died on Sunday morning aged 72.
Pintacuda, a Jesuit theologian and sociologist, urged Catholics to take a more active role in Palermo politics and civic life in the late '80s and early '90s.
The so-called 'Palermo Spring' city renaissance he inspired raised hopes of ridding Sicily of Mafia influence. The movement brought to power a reform-minded mayor, Leoluca Orlando, whose Rete (Network) party was briefly influential in centre-left politics on a national level. Pintacuda's death spurred tributes from all sides of Italian politics.
An anticapitalist priest, Andrea Gallo, said Sicily had seen a recent Mafia resurgence and another civic reaction like the Spring was needed.
