At 11.45am the commemoration begins with a speech by Fontana
The funeral of the President Emeritus Giorgio Napolitano, who passed away last Friday, will take place today 26 September with live TV on Rai 1. Here is the programme, still subject to additions, for the ‘State Funeral with Solemn Commemoration of the President Emeritus of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano’ which will be held in the Montecitorio Chamber.
10.50 am – The President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana, accompanied by the Secretary General Fabrizio Castaldi, goes to the main entrance to welcome the President of the Republic.
10.55am – Arrival of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by the Secretary General Ugo Zampetti. The President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana, with the Secretary General Fabrizio Castaldi, accompanies the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, with the Secretary General Ugo Zampetti, in the Hall of Ministers, where the President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni and the President of the Court have gathered Constitutionalist Silvana Sciarra, with their respective General Secretaries, to welcome the foreign Heads of State.
11.05-11.15 am – Arrival of the foreign Heads of State at the main entrance of Palazzo Montecitorio, welcomed by the Ceremonial Officer and parliamentary assistants: President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier; President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron; President Emeritus of the Republic François Hollande; President of the Republic of Albania Bajram Begaj; Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino Alessandro Scarano and Adele Tonnini, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luca Beccari; President Emeritus of the Republic of Austria Heinz Fischer with his wife Margit Fischer; President Emeritus of the Republic of Portugal Aníbal Cavaco Silva, with his wife Mrs. Maria Alves da Silva Cavaco; President Emeritus of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor; Duchess of Edinburgh, member of the Royal Family of the United Kingdom. The foreign Heads of State, each with their own companion and with the support of parliamentary assistants and the staff of the Ceremonial Office, meet in the offices of the President of the Council of Ministers and of the Minister for Relations with Parliament, to receive the greeting of the President of the Republic and the other constitutional authorities, with their respective general secretaries.
The arrival of the coffin
11.15 am – The procession with the coffin of the President Emeritus of the Republic, after the farewell of the President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa, leaves the Senate. Following this, the President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa goes to Palazzo Montecitorio (entrance on Via dell’Impresa 63) and joins the other constitutional authorities.
11.25 am – The President of the Republic, with the Secretary General, the foreign Heads of State and the constitutional Authorities, with their respective General Secretaries, move to the Transatlantic.
11.30 am – The coffin of the President Emeritus of the Republic, coming from Piazza Colonna, arrives at Piazza Montecitorio and is positioned on the left side of the Square (in front of the Hotel Colonna Palace). Military honors at the coffin. National anthem. The coffin, followed by the family members, is led to the Hall of Ministers. The foreign Heads of State take turns in the Hall of Ministers for a moment of reflection and reach the Chamber. The President of the Republic, with the Secretary General, accompanied by the President of the Chamber, the President of the Senate, the President of the Council of Ministers and the President of the Constitutional Court, with their respective General Secretaries, pays homage to the body. The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella then enters the Chamber – preceded by his family members and other constitutional authorities – with the President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana and the President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa. The President of the Republic takes his place in the center of the row of seats placed in the hemicycle. The President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa and the President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana take their places on the presidential bench. The Vice Presidents of the Chamber and the Deputy Quaestors, as well as the rapporteurs, also sit at the presidential desk. The Ministers and the Undersecretary of State at the Presidency of the Council Alfredo Mantovano sit on the Government benches.
The beginning of the funeral
11.45 am – Start of the Commemoration. The President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana makes a commemorative speech. The House then observed a minute’s silence. The President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa also makes a commemorative speech. Then, speaking from the presidential bench: Giulio Napolitano, son of the President Emeritus of the Republic; Sofia May Napolitano, granddaughter of the President Emeritus of the Republic; Anna Finocchiaro, President of the Italiadecide Foundation; Gianni Letta, former Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and president of Civita; Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs; Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi; Giuliano Amato, President Emeritus of the Constitutional Court.
The conclusion
12.50 pm – The President of the Republic, with the Secretary General and the family members of the President Emeritus of the Republic, leave the Chamber, followed by the foreign Heads of State, the President of the Chamber, the President of the Senate, the President of the Council of Ministers, the President of the Constitutional Court, with their respective companions and General Secretaries, leave the Chamber and stop on the Transatlantic awaiting the exit of the coffin from the Hall of Ministers. The coffin is transported towards the exit of Palazzo Montecitorio, followed in procession by the authorities.
Once at the main entrance, the coffin is placed inside the hearse. After the departure of the Coffin, the Head of State takes leave of his family members, foreign heads of state and other agreed constitutional authorities and leaves Palazzo Montecitorio. The President of the Chamber in turn takes leave of the foreign Heads of State and the agreed constitutional authorities and returns to his study.
Source-www.adnkronos.com