Family Day rally in Rome dwarfs expectations

Rome, May. 14, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Hundreds of thousands of Italians massed in Rome for a Family Day rally on May 12, demonstrating popular opposition to a government proposal that would offer legal recognition to same-sex civil unions.

Family Day was organized primarily by lay Catholic groups, although other religious leaders joined in endorsing the event. Several prominent politicians attended, led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who commented that "you cannot be Catholic and yet stand with those on the other side."