It is the big day of Monsignor Gianpiero Palmieri’s entry into the diocese of San Benedetto. Everything is ready, on the Riviera but also in the valley, to welcome the new bishop, who will take the place of Carlo Bresciani, officially ‘retired’ from today after having reached the age of 75. Palmieri, however, will also remain ‘shepherd’ of Ascoli, where he took over three years ago, and will therefore find himself managing two different realities. Palmieri will officially enter the San Benedetto diocese this evening, with a solemn ceremony that will mark a significant moment for the entire community. For the occasion, a carefully organized program is planned to respond to the bishop’s desire to visit the People of God in their places of life. It will begin in the afternoon, at 4pm, with the meeting with the young people in Centobuchi di Monteprandone. Bishop Palmieri will begin his day at the Knowledge Park, where he will meet the children of the diocese and the Parish Pastoral Unit. Monteprandone, on the border with the diocese of Ascoli, will be the bishop’s first point of contact with his new community. At 5.30 pm, then, a visit to the Biancazzurro of San Benedetto is scheduled, where Monsignor Palmieri will meet the associations and movements that support vulnerable people, including the Office of Pastoral Health, Unitalsi and the diocesan Caritas. At 6.30 pm, his Excellency will move to the port, to the Riva Malfizia quay, for a meeting with the civil and military authorities, as well as with the port workers. Finally, at 7.30 pm the entrance rite and celebration in the cathedral. To allow everyone to participate, all evening celebrations today will be suspended. The celebration can also be followed from Piazza Nardone, where a giant screen will be installed which will allow you to follow everything. Furthermore, the event will be broadcast live from 7.30pm on Vera TV (channel 11 for the Marche region). A great moment, today, which will therefore mark a fundamental stage for the future of the diocesan community of San Benedetto and, in part, also of that of Ascoli, with the two entities that will be called to collaborate. Monsignor Palmieri himself, when he was appointed by Pope Francis to follow both dioceses, said he was enthusiastic about this task that had been assigned to him and had already invited the faithful of the two realities to create synergy to follow a common path together.
Matteo Porfiri
