The Pope in Sulmona
on July 4, 2010:
His third visit to the region
by Annalisa Civitareale
Translated from
Dec. 9, 2009
Sulmona in the Abruzzo region is about 170 kms east of Rome, and is best known as the birthplace of the famous classical poet Ovid.
Tthe Benedictine monk Pietro di Morrone who would become Pope Celestine V (1215-1296), later a saint, was born in a nearby village.
SULMONA - July 4, 2010, will be a historic date for Sulmona.
Pope Benedict XVI will be here for the eighth centenary of the birth of Pope Celestine (better known locally as Papa Pietro Celestino, which incorporates the Pope's baptismal name).
Mons. Angelo Spina made the official announcement at Mass on Tuesday in the cathedral of San Panfilo, on the day of the Immaculate Conception - which made it a doubly joyous day for the faithful of the diocese, who responded with long and loud applause.
It will be Benedict XVI's third visit to the Abruzzo region.
[He was in Manoppello in 2006, and in L'Aquila after the earthquakes last spring.]
"Dearest brothers and sisters, today on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with great emotion and joy, I am happy to announce to the entire diocese of Sulmona-Valva and to the Abruzzo-Molise cclesiastical region that on Sunday, July 4, 2010, the Holy Father Benedict XVI, in response to the invitation I sent him in a letter of October 26, 2009, has agreed to visit Sulmona on the occasion of the eighth centenary of the birth of San Pietro Celestino".
Simple words from Bishop Spina who announced the good news before his homily.
The Pope will also visit three other dioceses in Italy in 2010: Turin on May 2, Carpineto Romano on September 5, and Palermo on October 3.
Details of the Pope's visit to Sulmona still have to be worked out, but what is sure is that Sulmona will be his only stop.
He will come to the Basilica of San Panfilo to venerate the relics of his predecessor.
These relics include robes, sandals, a cilicium, shoes, a papal tunic all belonging to Celestine, and most importantly, part of his heart,
had been donated to Sulmona in 1906 by the Bishop of Ferentino
[the diocese where Celestine died in prison, under his successor Boniface VIII. Celestine resigned as Pope less than six months after he was elected in 1294, in order to return to his hermit's life, the only Pope to have resigned].
This particular relic was brought to the Vatican to be blessed by a delegation of some 2,500 Sulmona faithful who attended an audience with Pope Benedict last September 30.
[Benedict had earlier venerated the mortal remains of Celestine in the Basilica of Collemaggio in L'Aquila (where Celestine was crowned Pope), during his visit there after the March earthquakes, and donated the pallium he had worn at his inaugural Mass as Pope.]
After the visit to the Cathedral, the Pope will say Mass and the Angelus at the city's Piazza Garibaldi.
Mons. Spina said he received the news of the Pope's decision two days earlier. "I received a telephone call from the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household informing me that the Pope had accepted our invitation, that he would be coming here on July 4, and that I could announce the news to the diocesan community on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception".
He added: "This is a great gift to us, but it is also a great responsibility to welcome the Successor of Peter among us, with conversion of hearts in the diocese."
The Jubilee year for Pope Celestine has been marked by events linking the diocese to the Pope.
"On July 18, the Pope's brother, Mons. Ratzinger*, came to visit Sulmona. Then when we had the audience with the Pope, I said to him that Sulmona was awaiting a visit by him. On October 26, I sent him a letter to invite him officially, but with feeble hope because I am aware of his many commitments. Instead, we got the good news two days ago, which is cause for joy and hope for the entire territory".
The parish priest of San Panfilo, don Maurizio Buzzelli, echoed the bishop's words. "The Pope's visit brings hope to a region that has been experiencing economic difficulties and unemployment".
*
A report and photos of Mons. Ratzinger's visit to Sulmona is in the PEOPLE AROUND THE POPE thread:
benedettoxviforum.freeforumzone.leonardo.it/discussione.aspx?idd=8589119&p=2&#idm...
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 11/12/2009 01:53]