It is difficult to say at the end of the day how many recited a prayer in the shadow of the Saint, but this year too there were thousands of faithful who did not want to miss June 13th in Padua. The city of Padua today celebrated its patron saint. Thousands of people came to the city for a prayer. They arrived from all over the world, patiently waiting their turn to enter the basilica. Like last year, also on this 13 June 2024, slightly spring-like weather greeted the pilgrims waiting to enter the basilica. But the threat of rain in the early morning then gave way to beautiful sunshine which welcomed the constant flow of faithful. (as can be seen below in Ivan Grozny’s video).
Among others, numerous groups on foot who arrived from neighboring municipalities: some left at 2, some at 3 in the morning to arrive at the basilica for the 6 o’clock celebration. There were also many faithful who arrived by bicycle from the surrounding towns. In the late morning and throughout the afternoon here are the long queues that have formed since the churchyard to reach the Tomb first and then the Relics from the North Door on the side of the basilica, and from the central nave to attend the celebrations that took place followed at the rate of one Holy Mass per hour: at 6, at 7, at 8 at 9, at 10 (Holy Mass for the Collaborators and Associates of the «Messenger of Saint Anthony», presided over by Monsignor Giovanni Diego Ravelli new pontifical delegate); at 11am (pontifical mass, presided over by Monsignor Claudio Cipolla, bishop of Padua); at 12.15pm; at 1pm (Albanian Community). And then in the afternoon at 3.30pm; at 5pm (solemn mass, presided over by Father Roberto Brandinelli, provincial minister OFM Conv.). Finally, a Holy Mass at 7pm and the last at 9pm (Youth Mass animated by the friars of the Franciscan Youth centre). For each celebration, all 800 seats in the basilica were occupied and many people stood in the naves, for over a thousand people for each celebration. A much greater participation of faithful compared to last year. «Antonio is close to the people because his appeal has no barriers or differences. He listens and dialogues with everyone through his Word as well as in the depths of meditation and silence.” Thus the rector of the Basilica, Father Antonio Ramina, greeted the pilgrims from the first light of dawn.
The words of the pontifical delegate Monsignor Diego Giovanni Ravelli
Focused on the figure of Anthony and his legacy of wisdom and closeness, the homily pronounced during the 10am Holy Mass presided over by Monsignor Diego Giovanni Ravelli, pontifical delegate for the Basilica: «Antonio was so loving and transformed by the Wisdom of the divine Word that become a tireless announcer, both with his preaching and with the testimony of his life, capable of attracting the hearts of the people of his time, even those hardest and most distant from God, and of
give them that heavenly bread capable of satisfying man’s deepest hunger. Why is Antonio still so relevant after eight centuries? Because filled with the spirit of Wisdom, he continues even today to bring us the eternal Word of the Father and to offer us Jesus, the true food that refreshes us on the journey of life, especially in times of trial and suffering.” «Saint Anthony – Giovanni Ravelli continued in another passage – was immediately defined as the ‘Saint of miracles’ because his reputation for performing miracles particularly in favor of the poorest, both during his life and immediately after his death, and then thanks to his continuous invoked intercession, she was always present in the worship reserved for him”.
