SYRACUSE – “A society that wants to be human must put the person at the center and not statistics, charity and not likes, meeting with others and not sterile views, which more often than not are a sign of infinite solitude” . This was said by the archbishop of Syracuse, Msgr. Francesco Lomanto, this morning in his speech from the balcony for the Feast of the Patronage of Saint Lucia. The festival recalls the miracle of 1646 when a famine raged in Syracuse and the Syracusans asked the patron saint for help: ships loaded with wheat arrived from the sea and a dove warned the faithful gathered in prayer in the Cathedral.
This morning thousands of people waited for the release of the simulacrum and relics in Piazza Duomo and then listened to the words of the archbishop and witnessed the flight of the doves.
“We who look with admiration and devotion to Saint Lucia want to commit ourselves like her to planting the seed of hope in our society which risks getting lost in the cold calculations of algorithms and artificial intelligence – said Mgr. Lomanto -. We must bet and return to building starting from the simplicity of the heart, living communion between us”. Then turning to politics he said: “Let politics always be at the service of the common good, aiming at an economy that is supportive and attentive to those in need, because if the weakest are protected with the right attention, the whole of society benefits. Healthcare places the dignity of the human person at the center and guarantees the right to equal health for all with suitable structures, such as the hoped-for construction of the new civic hospital in Syracuse. It is urgent to think together, plan together, draw paths of peace, work for the good of all, committing ourselves to social promotion with the intelligence of the heart and not delegating to any artificial intelligence”.
Cardinal Paolo Romeo, archbishop emeritus of Palermo, presided over the Pontifical: “Looking at the virgin Lucia, the faith of our Fathers is given to us: the testimony of Lucia’s fidelity to Christ, in love with Christ. Her palm that she carries in her right hand reminds us of this testimony which should be the testimony of all of us Christians. And on her left hand, her eyes which we need so much today to see reality: unfortunately we do not have eyes to see the face of Christ in our brothers. And we are not capable of loving and sharing.” Cardinal Romeo invited us to walk “on the paths of holiness. Let’s look at the ears of corn that remind us of the reason why she brings us together in prayer today: we want to thank Lucia for this Patronage which, with her intervention, allowed us to satisfy the hunger that afflicted the Syracusans. Even today there is famine in the world of authentic love. Today we must invoke Lucia’s patronage so that she comes to the aid of each of us, so that she helps us to live and bear witness to true love for God and for her brothers. If we cannot see the face of Christ in our brothers, we will not be able to change ourselves. We ask for Lucia’s intercession to pass on this faith to the new generations.”
Various moments of prayer and testimonies will alternate during the seven days of the Octave until Sunday 12th when at 6.30 pm there will be the return procession and the simulacrum and relics will return to the Cathedral along the streets of the historic center.
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