Italy's small town priest handling death on industrial scale

When he became a priest 40 years ago, Father Mario Carminati knew he'd be dealing with death.

But not on this scale.

Now clusters of coffins arrive every day, with his parishioners laid on the marble floor of St. Joseph's Church in the town of Seriate in northern Italy.

When enough have accumulated, he and others priests give them a hasty blessing before a forklift loads them on to army trucks for the trip to the cemetery.

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SENIOR PRIEST OF SERIATE, FATHER MARIO CARMINATI, SAYING:

"The saddest thing is that these dead were put so...naked, so alone...they were people who died without anyone who could hear or see them, without the possibility to talk to their loved ones, without anyone who could comfort them..."

The town is in the northern region of Lombardy, which has born the brunt of Italy's contagion.

More than 10,000 people in the country have died so far - by far the highest toll of any country in the world.

Carminati decided to open St. Joseph's Church so that coronavirus victims do not have to stay in a warehouse before burial.

In just a few days, 90 coffins had been inside the church. Forty-five had already been taken away, and another 45 were taken on Saturday (March 28).

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SENIOR PRIEST OF SERIATE, FATHER MARIO CARMINATI, SAYING:

"We leave them here, in the House of the Lord, so God - and we - can look after them."

With funerals forbidden nationwide, these ministers are also offering blessings and a dignified temporary place of rest before a convoy of military trucks takes Seriate's coronavirus victims on their final journey, through the town's silent streets.