A priest in Tuscany who voiced solidarity with migrants and wrote that "racists and fascists are my enemies" will not celebrate mass on Sunday at his local church after an ultranationalist group said it was "keeping an eye" on him.
The bishop of Pistoia, Fausto Tardelli, said that Sunday mass in the village of Vicofaro would be held by Tardelli's deputy, don Patrizio Fabbri, instead of local parish priest don Massimo Biancalani.
Tardelli's decision followed a warning by Pistoia's branch of the far-right Forza Nuova group that its militants would attend Sunday mass to "keep and eye on" Biancalani after he posted photos on Facebook of a group of African migrants enjoying themselves at a local swimming pool.
"These people are my countrymen, and racists and fascists are my enemies," Biancalani wrote in a caption to the photos.
Facebook removed Biancalani's post and disabled the priest's profile for 24 hours after it sparked a welter of insults and furious comments online from Italy's far right including the anti-immigrant Northern League party leader Matteo Salvini, who called Biancalani "anti-Italian".
Forza Nuova's Pistoia branch announced on Facebook that its militants would be attending mass in Vicofaro on Sunday to "keep an eye on don Biancalani's interpretation of Catholic doctrine," a plan swiftly foiled by Tardelli.
"This is beyond the pale....Sunday mass in Vicofaro will be celebrated by my Vicar General...only a bishop may judge the work, teachings and pastoral care of a priest," Tardelli wrote on Facebook in response to Forza Nuova.
"Consider your actions as the bishop will take whatever steps he believes are his duty or are opportune," Tardelli warned.
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