Source: Internet posting
An Italian priest has been ordered to pay €60,000 (£49,000) in damages because the bells of his church were too loud, and were rung for too long at "unsocial hours".
The judgement, handed down by a court in the town of Chiavari, has widespread implications for what is often seen as Europe's most Catholic nation, and perhaps the country with the highest density of churches. The case brought by a retired university teacher, Flora Leuzzi, is one of several alleging that over-enthusiastic tolling constitutes noise pollution.
Professor Leuzzi, who lives close to the Carmine church in Lavagna, near Genoa, began her campaign against its belfry 13 years ago. The judge found that the sound it emitted was louder than average. He also agreed that Leuzzi's hearing had been marginally impaired.
This was a courageous move on Professor Leuzzi's part. Why should everyone in the vicinity of a church have to endure prolonged bell ringing? In some cases the decibel level can get up into the 80's.
Bell ringing is really a form of Christian triumphalism, announcing to all within earshot that god is on his throne and all proceeding according to some alleged divine plan. This isn't a message an atheist, agnostic or those of religions other than Christianity are interested in having boomed into their living rooms.
Professor Leuzzi isn't the first to be angered by church related noise pollution. A Times article provides a few other examples:
A resident of Bétera in Valencia launched legal action against the local priest because the church bells rang 72 times a day. He said that he suffered insomnia and had to seek psychiatric treatment.
Another resident of San Sebastian in La Gomera, the Canary Islands, played heavy metal music at top volume outside the church to protest at the noise of the bells.
One council, in Baza, near Granada, fined the local church €600 (£440) for the noise caused by the church bells.
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