…in Italy:

Few teachings of the Catholic Church generate debate like its position on homosexuality, but death threats in recent days against Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, President of the Italian bishops’ conference, mark a new level of intensity in the clash between church officials and backers of gay rights.

On Friday, an anonymous envelope arrived at Bagnasco’s office in Genoa containing a single bullet, widely taken as a death threat, along with a picture of the archbishop with a swastika cut into it. Italian authorities are investigating the incident, which caps several days of protests after recent comments from Bagnasco regarding proposals in Italy to recognize civil unions, including partners of the same sex.

In the wake of the threat, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s Secretary of State and Bagnasco’s predecessor as Archbishop of Genoa, has asked that “Italy not leave him alone.” Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi defined the threat against Bagnasco as “an intolerable act.”