Pope sends red eggs to Romanian gypsies who occupied the San Paolo basilica 

Marţi, 26 aprilie 2011, 22:31 English | Regional Europe

Pope Benedict XVI sent on Monday red eggs to the Romanian gypsies who occupied on Friday the San Paolo basilica, one of the oldest in Rome, Ansa news agency reports, quoted by Mediafax. During the Urbi et Orbi message on Sunday, Pope Benedict urged countries across the world to be open in receiving refugees and immigrants and sent the representative of the Vatican to visit the gypsies and assure them of their support.  

The gypsies received red eggs from the director of the Caritas organization and were transferred to a Catholic shelter. Rome’s mayor Gianni Alemanno said that operations to demolish illegal gypsy camps in Rome will continue after the beatification of Pope John Paul II. There are over 100 illegal camps in Rome’s outskirts and authorities cannot accept it, Alemanno said. He said that many of them have homes in Romania but they come to Rome to gain illegal money. 

A group of gypsies who wanted to get the attention of the Church stayed for two nights in the basilica.