Cardinal Pietro Parolin Places St. Agatha's Skull in Reliquary During Catania Ceremony
In Catania, Sicily, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, participated in a ceremony marking the 900th anniversary of the restoration of St. Agatha's relics to the city. During the event, the skull of St. Agatha was gently placed inside an elaborate reliquary. This act is part of a major commemoration for one of the early church martyrs. The ceremony included a gesture of respect, where the skull was kissed, a practice common in Catholic rituals for sacred objects. Mayor Enrico Trantino of Catania defended this gesture against criticism, calling it a 'gesture of devotion' representing the people of Catania, and dismissing criticism as 'surreal, degrading, and instrumental' and a remnant of 'woke culture.' 
