The prior of Monte Berico Father Carlo Rossato, the bishop of Vicenza Monsignor Giuliano Brugnotto, the president of the Veneto Region Luca Zaia, the president of the Province of Vicenza Andrea Nardin and the mayor of the Municipality of Vicenza Giacomo Possamai signed today, in the hall of Refectory of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Monte Berico, the Framework Agreement for the “Marian Jubilee Year and Rebirth” which will be celebrated in 2026.
The official start of the jubilee year will take place on 7 March 2026, the day that commemorates the first apparition of the Virgin Mary which took place in Monte Berico in 1426. In a time of plague that afflicted the area, the Madonna appeared to a humble commoner, Vincenza Pasini , offering an unexpected prospect of hope to the Berica community and indicating the place where the Sanctuary will be built two years later.
«”It is to be reborn that we were born”, recall the verses of Neruda, and with this hope we wish to entrust our journey as a community to the heavenly Mother who appeared twice on the hill and who for six hundred years has presided over this place so loved by the people, offering support, comfort, peace and hope – said the Prior of Monte Berico Father Carlo Rossato –. To reach out to people, to make many aware of the history and present of Marian devotion, among the Jubilee initiatives of particular symbolic value, we have launched the two “Peregrinatio Mariae”, one diocesan already underway, and the other which will reach in the next two years the Vicenza people in the world. The logo of the Marian Jubilee Year 1426-2026, designed by the children of the “L. Zecchetto”, after a competition involving various schools in Vicenza.
«Welcoming the requests of the population, Bishop Onisto elected the Madonna of Monte Berico as the main patroness of the City and Diocese of Vicenza in 1978. The bond between the population and the Madonna of Monte Berico is very strong because she is resorted to on rather difficult occasions – declared the vbishop of Vicenza Monsignor GGiuliano Brugnotto -. For the Diocese, 2026 will be a jubilee year in continuity with the Jubilee announced by Pope Francis with which we are invited to set out as pilgrims of hope. Saint Mary will accompany us to the rebirth, above all, of Christian communities and parishes open to collaboration in pastoral units, weakened by the recent pandemic, in need of finding new energy in re-weaving relationships of living solidarity and authentic charity. Being pilgrims of hope in a time of rebirth is the most creative thing you can experience in the next two years because it is a strong invitation to set your body and spirit in motion. The most eloquent expression of such a movement is represented by the pilgrimage, in particular towards the Sanctuary, which will allow us to rediscover contact with creation by becoming aware of the wounds inflicted in our territory. Pilgrimage also allows you to meet new companions on the “journey” and requires you to find a renewed lifestyle.”
«Monte Berico and the Sanctuary are symbols not only of great history and testimonies, but of authentic faith and daily experience – commented the president of the Region of the Veneto Luca Zaia -. The 600 years of the Sanctuary project this place, forcefully, towards the future. A journey of faith, but which also embraces a broader context linked to the promotion of the territory, religious tourism, pilgrimage routes to the most important places of Christianity in Veneto. We want to take this opportunity, with the Diocese, the Sanctuary and the Municipality, to invest even more in welcoming the faithful and visitors, promoting the development of services and widespread hospitality in our territory, in the sign of Marian devotion”.
«It is an event that represents the values of the Vicenza area, a concrete, supportive charity that is preparing to welcome the faithful from all over the world – intervened the president of the Province of Vicenza Andrea Nardin -. From this Sanctuary, under the mantle of the Madonna, many spiritual paths radiate, leading to places of religious and devotional interest in the Vicenza area. I like to remember that from the square in front of the Sanctuary of Monte Berico, from the balcony that extends towards the city of Vicenza, you can see the Venetian Prealps and you can see the Vicenza shrines which are also represented in the coat of arms of the Province of Vicenza. Almost an embrace of our mountains to protect the Madonna of Monte Berico and the thousands of pilgrims who visit the Sanctuary every year and who will certainly increase on the occasion of the Marian Jubilee Year and the Rebirth”.
«Today we presented the framework agreement to worthily celebrate the 600 years since the first apparition of the Madonna here in Monte Berico, the 600 years of our Sanctuary. The idea is to implement many initiatives, walks, conferences, exhibitions, moments of aggregation, spirituality and reflection to strengthen the bond between the sanctuary and the city. Millions of people are expected who will be able to get to know not only this place but also the city of Vicenza and our entire territory and therefore we will try, in this period that precedes the anniversary, to organize an adequate welcome” – concluded the mayor Giacomo Possamai.
The provision provides for a common commitment to give life, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the first Marian apparition in Monte Berico, to a series of initiatives aimed at promoting the attractiveness of the Sanctuary and encouraging religious and cultural tourism by creating synergy with the reference territory and with the places in the world where the devotion connected to the Sanctuary is alive.
The objective of the Framework Agreement is to organize various celebratory initiatives, including cultural and social ones, which establish the strong bond that has linked the Marian Sanctuary to the entire Vicenza and regional territory for centuries, in anticipation of 2026, to reaffirm the close bond that exists between the Sanctuary and the city and generate a real opportunity to lay the foundations of a rebirth understood as a social and economic recovery not only of Vicenza but also of the other realities that interface with the city.
The intention is to develop religious-cultural tourism to create a synergy between the Sanctuary and the city which will represent a further opportunity for the entire Vicenza area to talk about itself and promote itself. Therefore, the planned actions will be aimed at supporting the valorisation and promotion of cultural-religious tourism in its various forms: walks, pilgrimages, itineraries in places of the spirit, valorisation routes. We will strive to promote synergistic activities for the creation of meeting moments and social and cultural events including exhibitions, conferences and meetings. The intention then is to propose itineraries of knowledge and valorisation of the places of worship present in the area and the works of art kept in them.
Within the Framework Agreement, the establishment of a control room is envisaged, in which all the signatory bodies are represented, with the task of ensuring the coordination of the actions to be undertaken in view of the special anniversary; the control room will operate in collaboration with three advisory committees with institutional, scientific and executive functions. In detail, the control room will be made up of two representatives for each signatory body who will intervene free of charge: the Veneto Region, the Province of Vicenza, the City of Vicenza, the Diocese of Vicenza and the Convent of the Basilica of Monte Berico.
The Control Room will be supported by three advisory committees, which will be identified by union decrees, upon designation of the members of the Control Room. The coordinator may involve representatives of trade associations and experts in the meetings. Furthermore, the control room will be able to equip itself with an operational support structure, which can be involved in the direct implementation of some of the planned initiatives.
Finally, the Framework Agreement provides for the adoption of specific acts, protocols or implementing agreements to regulate the various collaborations to be implemented, in which aspects of an organizational nature and the contribution of human and material resources, equipment, as well as any financial participation in individual initiatives.
