Farewell to Maurizio Costanzo, the funeral home in the Campidoglio

Hundreds of people have been lining up since this morning to say their last goodbyes to Maurizio Costanzo - the journalist and TV presenter who died yesterday at the age of 84 - in the Campidoglio, where the funeral home has been set up and will remain open until 6pm.

The mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri and two of the journalist's children, the director Saverio and the screenwriter Camilla, welcomed the coffin. «Maurizio Costanzo was a giant in the history of Italian television, culture and journalism. The homage today of the Romans, the Romans, the Italians is moving," declared the mayor of the capital. Among the first to arrive Francesco Rutelli with his wife Barbara Palombelli and the imitator Emanuela Aureli. Fiorello, Mara Venier, Valerio Mastandrea and Paola Barale also paid homage to Costanzo, among the faces of the show. His wife, Maria De Filippi, arrived with her adopted son Gabriele.

The funeral will be held on Monday at 3 pm at the Church of the Artists in Piazza del Popolo.

Yesterday, among the numerous messages of condolence for the death of the journalist, also that of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: «Maurizio Costanzo is leaving us: an icon of journalism and TV, who was able to tell difficult years with courage and professionalism. Thank you for bringing culture, sympathy and kindness into the homes of Italians. A thought to his wife Maria and his loved ones. Have a good trip".

(Unioneonline/F)