Central Italy reconstruction: Bishop Baturi (CEI) highlights memory as

Central Italy reconstruction: memory at the heart of recovery efforts

On 29 April 2026, the CEI headquarters in Rome hosted a session of the Committee for Religious Cultural Heritage focused on post-2016 earthquake reconstruction. Mons. Giuseppe Baturi, CEI general secretary, emphasized that memory acts as "an indispensable bond" to restore not only physical places but also the cultural and social identity of communities.

• Participants: Mons. Giuseppe Baturi, extraordinary commissioner for the 2016 earthquake Guido Castelli, and representatives from 26 affected dioceses.
• Geographic scope: Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche and Umbria.
• Progress: over one thousand projects for churches and worship buildings funded with several hundred million euros.
• Goals: ensure quality works, reliable timelines and protection of the historical, cultural and spiritual values of rebuilt sites.
• Commemoration: Commissioner Castelli announced initiatives to mark the tenth anniversary of the 2016 earthquake.

The meeting highlighted institutional cooperation and continuous monitoring as key tools to strengthen local communities and pursue reconstruction that balances material recovery with safeguarding collective memory.