PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – 21 years later, Sicily is once again chosen among the Italian regions to offer the oil that fuels the votive lamp on the tomb of Saint Francis in Assisi: a moment of profound emotion that will see the 3rd and 4 October an important involvement of the civil and religious institutions of the area. The initiative was presented at Palazzo d’Orleans in the presence of, among others, the president of the Region Renato Schifani, the mayor of Palermo Roberto Lagalla (who will be present at the event representing all the first Sicilian citizens), the mayor of Assisi Stefania Proietti and the president of Cesi Antonino Raspanti. The Sicilian churches will donate one thousand liters of oil (60 for each diocese) to power the lamp of Assisi, leaving the excess quantity to the Caritas of the diocese. Furthermore, for the occasion, the Region has decided to offer 20 thousand euros for the restoration of a painting in the Basilica of San Francesco, depicting ‘The apparition of San Giuseppe to San Bonaventura’, and another oil on canvas depicting ‘The Madonna on the places of the Passion’; funding is also foreseen for the ceramic lamps that are passing through the Sicilian dioceses, for 3 thousand kits intended for those who will go to Assisi on pilgrimage in those days and for the printing of both 300 thousand images with the effigy of Saint Francis and 4 thousand booklets on celebrations on 3 and 4 October.
“After 21 years Sicily is called to bring the votive oil to Saint Francis, it is something for which I consider myself lucky from both a human and institutional point of view – underlines Schifani, – We will bring to Assisi a strong message of solidarity, brotherhood and attention to poor. The day of Biagio Conte’s death was one of the saddest for Palermo and Sicily, I was at his bedside a few hours before he passed away and it was a touching moment: our government continues to pay concrete attention to the poor. the last and the needy, but also to those who have to wait too long for a medical examination. This is also my daily effort to honor the promise I made to Biagio Conte on his deathbed.” Lagalla also wanted to remember brother Biagio to celebrate Sicily’s participation in the Assisi celebrations: “Biagio Conte is a living and vibrant expression of that Franciscanism that looks to the poor and marginalized: they are still strong, the warning is the legacy he left to this land and its institutions, asking us to never forget the poor”. For the mayor, the involvement of Palermo in just a few months in the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the Festino and in the return to Assisi for the first time since 2003 represents “a significant coincidence, a double appointment that gives us a hope of liberation like that which comes from Saint Rosalia and Saint Francis”. Proietti, after thanking Sicily for its welcome, highlights how “our initiative involves civil and religious institutions, but I would like there to be significant involvement of schools: I have been mayor for 8 years, but you never get used to the emotion for the journey towards the feast of San Francesco”. For Raspanti “the celebrations that have taken place in Assisi for many years are of exquisitely religious and spiritual warmth since Saint Francis, as stated by numerous pontiffs and by Pope Francis, is a figure of extraordinary greatness and holiness: his figure reminds us of the image of The merciful love of God, an extraordinary value recognized for centuries is still present today even in the civil sphere. It is for this reason that we go on pilgrimage every year and we do it again this year with great joy and a pinch of pride together with the government. regional and to the mayors”. – Photo: xd8/Italpress -(ITALPRESS). xd8/pc/red 17-Jun-24 15:47 .
