Born in the province of Pisa in 1971. Degrees in Physics and Theology. His wife Didem is of Turkish origin. They have two daughters. He is a teacher and entrepreneur in the fields of IT and tourism.
Early Life and Family Background: Born in Pontedera on June 11, 1971, he grew up in Il Romito, a small hamlet of the same municipality.
He is the son of a Piaggio factory worker, renowned locally for his skills as a blacksmith, and a homemaker of southern Italian origin, whose maiden name is Vitillo. He has a brother who is an entrepreneur, a former Italian shooting champion, and a well-known presenter and DJ in the Valdera area under the stage name Spazialex.
Education and Sports: At age 9, he began long-distance running with Atletica Aurora and later practiced tennis at SAT in Pontedera, before falling in love with rowing. He began this sport alongside his friend Leonardo Pettinari, a multiple-time world champion. He graduated with distinction in Electronics from the “G. Marconi” Technical Institute in Pontedera.
Spiritual Awakening: At the age of 18, after a profound spiritual experience, he rediscovered the Christian faith following a few years of atheism. In 1993, he became the coordinator of Donna Vestita di Sole, a spiritual renewal group active throughout Tuscany and connected to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement.
Degree in Physics and Theological Studies: At 24, he graduated in Physics from the University of Pisa with a specialization in Astrophysics. His academic work was published in international journals.
He then began studying theology with the Capuchin friars in Emilia-Romagna. During this time, he deepened his knowledge of Middle Eastern history and politics and became a licensed tour guide for Israel and Palestine.
He also studied Turkish language and culture and, together with his wife, prepared Turkish grammar materials for the University of Pisa. After getting married, he settled in Pisa, where he earned a degree in Religious Sciences summa cum laude.
Teaching and Freelance Career: Known in Pisa for his IT skills, he worked for years as a freelancer in this field. In 2003, he founded edukom.it, which in 2016 became a technology company specializing in networking and the management of tourist facilities.
Since 2001, he has taught mathematics, physics, electronics, and electrical engineering in private schools, and since 2002, he has taught Catholic religion in public schools. He also conducted training courses for the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).
Family: His wife Didem, originally from Turkey and now an Italian citizen, was baptized at the age of 25 in the city of Izmir, where she grew up without ever being drawn to Islam, which in that context is almost a state religion. They have two daughters. Didem teaches Turkish at the CLI of the University of Pisa and in various language centers.
Mission in Turkey: In 2006, Simone was appointed by Bishop Luigi Padovese, then president of the Episcopal Conference of Turkey, as the lay leader of the Catholic Church in Samsun. He moved there with his family. During this time, he also helped establish academic agreements between Italian and Turkish universities.
Amid a wave of violence that led to the murder of several Christian friends, he fought for the recognition of human rights for religious minorities. After receiving death threats, he and his family lived under police protection for several months.
In 2007, the Turkish government forced him—being the only member of his family without dual citizenship—to leave the country with his entire family.
This extraordinary episode was covered in two episodes of the Terra television program on Canale 5, hosted by Marco Corrias. In 2010, his bishop, Monsignor Padovese, was murdered by an Islamic fanatic who slit his throat in a sacrificial ritual while shouting “Allahu Akbar”.
Political and Social Engagement: While working, he continued his studies toward a PhD in Anthropology at the Theological Faculty of Florence. He coordinates the Bioethics Center of Pontedera and has collaborated with the Shroud Study Center in Rome and the journal Cultura e Libri.
In 2008, he was appointed to the Provincial Committee of the UDC party in Pisa. He ran for Mayor of Pontedera in 2009 and for the Italian Parliament in 2013. From 2010 to 2013, he served as regional secretary of UCIIM Tuscany, later becoming a regional board member. Together with his wife, he has led marriage preparation courses in their parish in Pisa.
Bed & Breakfasts: In 2012, Simone began converting his home into a Bed & Breakfast, which became the foundation for a new business venture. This activity was later taken over by Edukom.it, the company he founded, which now manages around ten tourist accommodations.
