Evening star., 1952-09-21
Protestants 10 Garry
-
Appeal 10 Acheson
On Church Charges
BY the Assoeiated Press

ROME, Sept. 20.-Three Pro-
testant denominations disclosed
today they plan to carry a joint
appeal direct to Secretary Of State
Acheson in Washington against
the closing of their churches in
Catholic Italy.
A spokesman for the Church Of
Christ, Assembly of God and PEN
tecostal Church said they have re-
ceived a yes" reply to their re-
quest to lay the problem before
the State Department in talks
next week.
There were indications that
pressure already brought through
the United States Embassy and in
discussions with the Ministry of
Interior might cause police to ease
off tomorrow from their threat to
close all 20 of the Churches of
Christ in Italy.
Pastor Jailed Nine Days.
But the large Assembly of God,
affliated with the General Council
of Assemblies of God, Springfield,
Mo-. announced that three more
of its churches have been closed
by police in the past two weeks.
One pastor was held in jail for
nine days.
The Pentecostal Church said
some Of its branches also have had
trouble recently.
Cline r. Paden of Brownfleld,
Texas, head of the Church of
Christ Evangelist group in Italy,
said he planned to go ahead with
church services tomorrow despite
police threats.
His churches at AleSsandria and
Petilia were closed two weeks ago,
his Rome church was shut by
police last Sunday, and he was
told the breakdown would extend
to his other 19 churches in Italy.
Action Described as Steady.
Sources close to the church said,
however. they had the impression
after talks with authorities today
that police may have been in
structed to "go easy tomorrow and
until interest in the case blows
over"
Anthony Pirano, field director
for the Assembly Of God in italy,
said police action against his
church has continued steadily
since the church appealed to the
government three months ago.
He said that Rosario di Palermo,
national treasurer of the church
in Italy, was arrested in Sicily
September IL for refusing a police
order to close a branch of the
church at Bisacquino. He was
held in Jail for nine days, then
acquitted on the ground that
charges against him did not con-
Stitute crime.
Mr.. Pirano said that in the last
ten days authorities also closed
Assembly of God churches at Di-l
Nietos Modica and Alcamo. all inl
Sicily. ;s,ss
Churches Affiliated.
The church three months ago
protested to the government that
in the last four years, while it
had been trying to obtain Official
recognition, scores of its churches
have been closed and pastors have
been arrested, jailed or fined 40I
times.
The Pentecostal operates inI
Italy as an affiliate Of the Assem-
bly, of God. It obtained recogni-
ton several years ago, but some
new churches opened since then
have been ordered shut. The
churches are required to obtain
government recognition under
laws passed during the Fascist
regime:
In addition to these three, the
Baptists announced yesterday
through their Italian secretary
general, DR.. Manfredi Ronchi, that
one of their churches had been
closed as recently as a month ago.
DR.. Roberto Poppi, head of theI
branch of police handling the
church closings, said: There is mol
issue whatsoever or religious lib
erty. These churches have notl
complied with Italian law requir-
Ing Feoognition and permission toI
operate. Other Protestant cults
are operating here without inter-
ference