Father Giacobbe Elia, a Roman Catholic priest, has hit back at fellow clergy who have expressed pro-open borders sentiments, defending walls and borders.
In an interview with Italian media, Father Elia expressed a positive opinion on walls and borders, stating that both were crucial to the building of any civilization throughout history, Italian newspaper Il Giornale reports.
The parish priest also defended populist Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Matteo Salvini’s public display of the crucifix during the last election campaign, which had been widely criticised by other members of the church.
On the topic of migrants themselves, Father Elia said that the reception of migrants and asylum seekers, “must never be implemented to the detriment of security.”
Elia is just the latest member of the Roman Catholic clergy in Italy to come out in support of the migration policies of Matteo Salvini.