Berlusconi, the gathering of fans at the San Raffaele on Easter Monday with banners and “holy water”, prayers, holy cards and John Travolta impersonators

Banners and “holy water”, prayers and saints, religious and John Travolta impersonators. The pilgrimage of Silvio Berlusconi fans to the San Raffaele hospital also continues on Easter Monday, on the day in which the second medical bulletin seems to reassure the former premier’s health conditions. And so, in addition to the arrival of friends and family – yesterday, on Easter day, daughter Marina came in in the evening to be next to her father – a roundup of “pasionari” parades under the watchful eyes of security and those curious of the cameras.

This is the case of Ettore Fragale, 67, from Cosenza, the last in order of time to sacrifice himself in front of the hospital founded by don Verzè. Sixteen hours by bus from Calabria to bring “solidarity to Uncle Silvio”, hospitalized in intensive care since last Wednesday. A former retired bank employee, he got off in San Donato, a suburb of Milan, and from there he reached the gate in via Olgettina 60 (manned by reporters) by metro.

She opens a purse: “I brought the votive dress, a bottle with the holy water of San Francesco di Paola and some holy pictures”, she told reporters. The fan is “hopeful”: “If I came here it’s because we need Silvio even if I vote for Lega”. Oh. “Berlusconi has made us respected in the world as Italy, he is an entrepreneur who gives work to people”. And when the Knight went to Cosenza, some time ago, “I was under the stage, I almost got close but I never had the pleasure of meeting him. I hope to leave these thoughts to my daughter or another family member”. For now, security does not seem to agree.

On Easter evening it was the turn of John Travolta’s impersonator (his name is Stefano Bonesini and he is from Verona) who participated in the television program “Tu Sì Que Vales” in 2019: “I like Silvio very much, I love him”, he explained. In a suit and tie, well combed, he presented himself in front of the gate, asked to enter but was rejected by the security. He has never seen Berlusconi in person but “I wish him all the best”. Photo posed in front of the gate and goodbye.

“The latest bulletin relieves us, we are optimistic”, says instead Marco Macrì, 31, a former religious, a fan of the first hour who arrived from Salento with a banner and Forza Italia flag to give a hand to his political idol. Leather jacket and black cap, he’s still here since last Thursday, sleeps with the nuns, has lunch in the restaurant of a hotel nearby and says he won’t leave until the Knight returns to Arcore. There would be the detail that the administrative secretary does in a school in Garbatella, in Rome, so he is supposed to return to work.

It moves in tandem with another historical acquaintance of Berlusconi’s supporters, the “pasionaria” (that’s what everyone calls her) Noelle. She too says she’s been here since Wednesday, but incognito because she didn’t want interviews before. Then at Easter she changed her mind. In any case, “I pray for him and the other sick people, this time too she will emerge victorious”.