Italian priest fined €60,000 as loud church bells take their toll

An Italian priest has been ordered to pay €60,000 (£49,000) in damages because the bells of his church were too loud, and were rung for too long at "unsocial hours".

The judgement, handed down by a court in the town of Chiavari, has widespread implications for what is often seen as Europe's most Catholic nation, and perhaps the country with the highest density of churches. The case brought by a retired university teacher, Flora Leuzzi, is one of several alleging that over-enthusiastic tolling constitutes noise pollution.

Professor Leuzzi, who lives close to the Carmine church in Lavagna, near Genoa, began her campaign against its belfry 13 years ago. The judge found that the sound it emitted was louder than average. He also agreed that Leuzzi's hearing had been marginally impaired.

However, in perhaps an interesting comment on Italian values, he awarded only €9,000 for "biological damage" - and €46,000 for the disruption to Leuzzi's social life. The remaining compensation was for "moral damage".Witnesses testified that they had given up visiting Leuzzi at home in the old quarter of Lavagna.

Father Stefano Queirolo will only be permitted to ring them for Sunday Mass, and at Christmas and Easter. The bells will be allowed to peal for at most 20 seconds.

Queirolo said he expected the diocese to appeal. He said the belfry had recently been soundproofed. In any case, he added: "We haven't been ringing the bells for at least four years now."