A wedding celebrated in Vico Equense (Naples) ended in criminal charges against the bride and groom. As reported by La Repubblica, the protagonists, a couple in their 40s, had decided to celebrate their wedding by lighting colored smoke bombs in the churchyard of the Cathedral of the Santissima Annunziata, one of the most representative monuments of the Sorrento Peninsula. The initiative, however, caused damage to the facade of the sacred building, built in the first half of the 14th century and recognized as one of the most important examples of religious architecture in the area. The incident, which occurred on Saturday morning, turned the ceremony into a court case that now sees the two newlyweds charged with dangerous explosion and damage to a historical-artistic property.
According to reconstruction by municipal police officers, the festivities began immediately after the exchange of wedding vows, which took place around noon in the churchyard, chosen as the setting for the civil ceremony. At first, the ceremony had gone off without incident, amid applause and emotional moments from family members. Later, in the course of the ritual photographs, some of the guests arranged for the lighting of smoke bombs, agreed upon beforehand by the bride and groom to make the event more scenic. The colors chosen, from gray to purple, echoed the tones of the bride’s dress. The explosion of the pyrotechnic devices, however, released fumes and residue that affected the exterior surfaces of the cathedral, leaving visible traces on the facade.
Surveillance cameras installed in the area made it possible to pinpoint precisely how the incident occurred. The footage showed the couple witnessing the lighting of the smoke bombs, which were placed a few meters from the main gate. Thanks to the footage, traffic officers quickly identified the perpetrators, tracing them shortly thereafter to a local hotel where they had joined friends and relatives for the wedding banquet. The report was formalized to the relevant authorities, and the couple will now have to answer before the judiciary for the charges laid.
The charges brought against the couple are based on damaging a historically and artistically listed property and using pyrotechnic materials in an urban setting. As written by La Repubblica, the offense of dangerous explosion concerns the lighting of the smoke bombs in a public place and near a building of historical significance, with potential risk to the safety of people present. Added to this is the crime of damage, referring to the material consequences on the facade of the church. Investigations will now determine the actual extent of the damage and any aggravated liability related to the protection of cultural property.
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| Smoke bombs at wedding, damaged Vico Equense Cathedral: bride and groom charged |
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