Saint to the Mafia?

Saint Bernardo was born in Corleone in the 17th century

By Bob Howard in Corleone

Not every community can boast its very own saint.

In the Sicilian town of Corleone, the canonisation of Brother Bernardo last month has a special significance after decades of turmoil and notoriety.

If the world can know Corleone for something positive, I think this is very important for changing public perception

Brother Carlo

Born in Corleone in the 17th century, Brother Bernardo, or Saint Bernardo as he will now be known, was a swordsman and shoesmith with a hint of Cyrano de Bergerac about him.

He found redemption as a Capuchin monk when he sought refuge in a monastery after maiming a man in a duel.

Turbulent past

Many Corleonese can identify with the themes of violence and redemption - the town once had one of the highest murder rates in the world.

It gave its name to the fictional family in the film The Godfather, and has been the real-life home of some of the island's top crime bosses.

Brother Carlo is a Capuchin monk working in Corleone. He hopes that now the Pope has made Bernardo a saint, the town's image might begin to change.

"I think that it's very important on a social level," he said. "If the world can also know Corleone for something positive, I think this is very important for changing public perception."

Mafia boss Toto Riina once lived in Corleone

More than 1,000 people from Corleone travelled to Rome to see the canonisation. Few, however, are nai ve enough to believe that simply having a saint will change life within the town and the way it's perceived outside.

There's no doubt, however, that in the last few years there have been tangible changes.

Giuseppe Cipriani has been elected mayor on a firm anti-Mafia stance. He's spruced up the town by renovating its public buildings and squares, and he's also trying to win over the hearts and minds of the Corleonese.

"It's been difficult because the citizens feel the weight of the negative identity," he said. "We had to start again with the new generation at school."

New start

A concrete example of change in Corleone is the town's agricultural college. The building that houses it once belonged to the Mafia boss, Toto Riina, who was jailed in 1993.

It's been difficult because the citizens feel the weight of the negative identity

Mayor Giuseppe Cipriani

The building was then seized and the rooms, complete with full air-conditioning and marble interiors, were converted into classrooms. Rosanna Rizo, who works for the town council, explained its significance.

"It's symbolic because we succeeded in taking away from Toto Riina, from the mafia, a small piece of their empire, a small property. It's a signal to them - you can't do what you want and get away with it. The state is in charge now," she said.

Anyone in any doubt as to the importance of change in Corleone has only to go the town's recently opened anti-Mafia museum and documentation centre.

Another landmark for Corleone, it was set up with UN funding and officially opened earlier this year by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Mayor Giuseppe Cipriani has been elected on his anti-mafia stance

Along the walls are the photographs showing in graphic detail both the vicims and perpetrators of Mafia violence.

One of the photographs is of another famous Bernardo - Bernardo Provenzano, the current "boss of all the bosses" who hails from the town.

He has been on the run for more than 30 years and has eluded all attempts to apprehend him.

Corleone has waited a long time to come out of the shadow of the Mafia. Now finally there is a feeling that the town might be looking forward to a brighter future.