Published: April 27, 2024
On Monday 29 April, the day of the liturgical feast of Saint Catherine of Siena, during the Holy Mass at 7.30 pm in the Cathedral of Teramo, His Excellency Monsignor Lorenzo Leuzzi will bless the oil that will be offered by the city of Teramo, at the hands of the mayor Gianguido D’Alberto, at Santa Caterina on Sunday 5 May in Siena, as part of the city celebrations for the co-patron saint of Italy and Europe.
For the first time a Church and a municipality outside the Archdiocese of Siena will offer the oil for the votive lamp: it will be Teramo, represented by the Bishop, Msgr. Lorenzo Leuzzi and the mayor, Gianguido D’Alberto. «Monsignor Lorenzo Leuzzi, bishop of Teramo-Atri, and a large group of pilgrims will be present with us – stated the Archbishop of Siena, Card. Augusto Paolo Lojudice – In that diocese there is a lot of curiosity towards the figure of Saint Catherine of Siena and a lot of enthusiasm for this event.”
Bishop Lorenzo Leuzzi and the mayor of Teramo will be present in the Tuscan city as early as Friday 3 May, at the concert in the Cathedral of Siena performed by the choir and orchestra of the “Franci” conservatory of Siena, by the Sienese polyphonic choirs together with the “Nisea” choir of Teramo and by the two children’s choirs, the “SICH” of the Chigiana academy and the “Nisea” also from Teramo.
The following day, Saturday 4 May, together with the diocesan delegation at 4 pm he will preside over the Solemn Holy Mass with the “Confirmation of the Creed” for the confirmed and those to be confirmed. The Archbishop of Siena-Colle Val D’Elsa-Montalcino, Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice, will concelebrate the rite. At 5.30 pm the procession moves from the Basilica of San Domenico towards the Campo where speeches by Cardinal Lojudice, the Mayor of Siena, Nicoletta Fabio, and Monsignor Lorenzo Leuzzi will be held. Immediately afterwards, the blessing with the relic of the Saint will be given to the city, the Archdiocese, Italy and Europe. At the end the flag-waving of the districts.
On Sunday 5 May at 10 am, in the Sanctuary-House of Santa Caterina there will be the traditional offering of oil for the votive lamp which this year is donated by the Municipality of Teramo, in the person of the mayor Gianguido D’Alberto representing the Municipalities of Italy, and by the Municipality of Castellina In Chianti, representing the municipalities of the archdiocese. Following is the offering of the candles to the Saint by the Associations and Aggregations. Greetings from the Government Representative and civil and religious authorities are expected. Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-Sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, presides over the ceremony in the presence of Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice, Mons. Lorenzo Leuzzi, and the civil, military and ecclesiastical authorities of the cities of Siena and Teramo. Greetings from the representative of the Italian Government, civil and religious authorities and the guard of honor from the Armed Forces are expected.
At 11.30 am, the Solemn Holy Mass will be held in the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena, presided over by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-Sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy and concelebrated by Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice, and by Mons. Lorenzo Leuzzi .
