She is now at home, in the Vatican.
«I always tell him, Pope Francis. “Your Holiness, when you are a little angry, let me call, I’ll take care of it.” She took me at my word. Our friendship has been consolidated for a year, the Holy Father has made me understand that he likes me. We see each other more often and laugh a lot. “When you come, it’s more peaceful,” they confirmed to me. I have the nerve, jokingly I remind him that we are the same age, but that I am six months older and therefore he must respect me as an elder”, he says amiably. Lino Banfi87 years old, who this morning participates in the event «The caress and the smile», in the Paul VI Hall, a meeting between the Pontiff and six thousand grandparents and grandchildren, like a large family reunion.
She, the grandfather of Italy, could not be missing.
«That’s right, it was Pope Francis himself who wanted to invite me, through Monsignor Paglia, who promoted me to “grandfather of Europe”. How to win an Oscar. And I, in front of all those grandparents and grandchildren, will name him the abuelo del mundo, the grandfather of the world.”
You are now in confidence.
«Two months ago, when we last met, I jumped in: “Your Holiness, you say we are friends. So let me ask you a favor. Would you like to take a photo with me? And when he got up from the chair, I dared again: “Take that stick away though, you don’t need it, there are two of us guys we”. And so we took that photo of just the two of us, arm in arm.”
What do you talk about when you’re together?
«Of our affections. He tells me about when he was little in Argentina, I about my humble family and the times of the war.”
Have you seen his films?
“Few. But he likes it a lot Commissioner Lo Gatto, from 1986, directed by Dino Risi. Which begins with a crime in the Vatican. I, who play the commissioner, am summoned by Pope John Paul II who tells me: “Please, you must find the culprit”, in the voice of Fabio Fazio. And I reply: “Of course Your Holiness. By the way, where were you the other night?”. For daring to ask the Pope for an alibi, the commissioner was sent to the island of Favignana.”
Poor The Cat.
«Since we’re here, I want to announce that I will make a documentary film about my life, while I’m still here, right? And I will write a book, the title is: I made three Popes laugh».
Meanwhile he is the ideal grandfather.
«I learned it well. First on the set of A doctor in the family, 286 episodes. And then, when I returned home, with my grandchildren Virginia and Pietro, Rosanna’s children, now two “grandchildren””.
And how was his?
«Grandpa Giuseppe was wonderful. In Canosa di Puglia he took me on his bicycle and to the vegetable garden. During the war, when the sirens sounded for the bombs, he shouted to me: “Run Pasqualino! Run!”. And he recommended: “Bring your puppets, so you can make the children laugh.” They were two little dolls made of clay and wood, built by me, I called them Orlando and Rinaldo. I used to do skits of the two of them arguing. “Come, you wretch, I’ll break the nut off your neck.” I invented this phrase as a child.”
Shortly thereafter he would discover his true calling.
«I went to be a seminarian, from the age of 11 to 15. In the fifth year of high school I was kicked out because I was too impertinent. I was crying my eyes out. “Zagaria, why are you crying?” Bishop Di Donna asked me. “Because I’ll have to repeat the year and dad will be angry.” He consoled me like this: “Don’t worry, your mission is not to be a priest, but to make people laugh.” And that actually came naturally to me. In school plays maybe I was Judas or Saint John, but as soon as I opened my mouth everyone went crazy.”
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