A church bell found on the side road of a highway in Italy
The small village of Camerata Nuova, on the border between Lazio and Abruzzo, had noted at the beginning of the year the disappearance of the bell of its church.
Found on an emergency lane of the A24 motorway by two sharp-eyed police officers, the 17th century bell was returned to the church on January 24. It could be identified by the parish priest thanks to inscriptions including a Madonna with the cild Jesus adorning the 40 cm high object.
We would like to be able to explain the reasons for this strange theft which has upset the inhabitants of Camerata Nuova, but they remain unknown for the moment.
Challenge launched during a drunken evening? Drastic solution following forced awakenings by the morning chime? Aborted metal recovery project? The reasons for the abandonment of the bell – somewhat cumbersome – are equally mysterious, but the story ends well, because it will be able to chime again.
