FS Italiane Group and the Italian Episcopal Conference sign an agreement for the pastoral care of station churches

Rome, 17 July 2020

The Convention between the Italian Episcopal Conference and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane was signed today – 17 July – to guarantee the presence of chaplains for the pastoral care of railway staff, their families and worshippers attending the churches within the stations.

The Convention, signed by Gianfranco Battisti, Chief Executive Officer and General Director of FS Italiane Group, and by Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, highlights the importance of the religious, moral and educative service carried out by chaplains and their collaborators who are, through their very presence, called upon to assist those working in the railway sector and travellers alike, together with spiritual retreats, pilgrimages, ceremonies, education activities and discussions on organisational, methodological and pastoral issues.

FS Italiane undertakes to ensure the maintenance of churches in railway facilities, favouring the free participation of employees in religious celebrations and manifestations, whilst authorising the set-up of the corporate nativity scene at the corporate headquarters and throughout the territory.

There are currently 36 places for worship located within stations. Chapels of various dimensions are found in the stations of Acireale, Agrigento, Alessandria, Ancona, Avellino, Bari, Bologna Centrale, Cagliari, Caltanissetta Centrale, Canicattì, Catania Centrale, Ceprano-Falvaterra, Cosenza, Enna, Firenze, Foggia, Foligno, Formia-Gaeta, Genova, Messina Centrale and Marittima, Milano, Napoli, Palermo Centrale and Palermo Notarbartolo, Reggio Calabria Centrale, Roma Termini and Roma Tiburtina, Taranto, Terni, Torino, Torre Annunziata Centrale, Trieste Centrale, Udine, Verona, Villa Literno and Villa San Giovanni.