This morning, in the suggestive setting of the Sanctuary of Montaltothe ancient rite of the offer of the Votive candle to the Madonna by the deputy mayor Salvatore Mondellorepresenting the mayor Federico Basile and the entire city community. The ceremony, deeply rooted in the religious and historical tradition of the city, represents an act of devotion and gratitude towards the Madonna di Montalto, a symbolic and spiritual figure who has been watching on Messina for centuries and its inhabitants. The offer of the candle, which symbolizes the commitment and trust of the city in the protection of the Virgin, is renewed every year as a sign of continuity with the past, collective memory and cultural identity.
To the solemn Eucharistic concelebration, chaired by Auxiliary bishop Msgr. Cesare Di Pietro Civil and religious authorities have taken part, exponents of the associations and numerous citizens. During the rite, the deputy mayor deposed at the foot of the altar the votive tribute, accompanied by a message of custody and hope for the city. “This gesture – said the deputy mayor Mondello – is not only a tradition, but a moment of profound communion between our community and its roots. In a time of challenges and changes, renewing this act of faith reminds us of the value of cohesion, memory and mutual trust”. The celebration ended on the churchyard of the sanctuary with the traditional insulation of the Flag of Messina and the flight of the doves, a symbol of the Madonna di Montalto, followed by the inauguration of a mural made by the students of the artistic high school “E. Basile”.
In the afternoon, at 18.00, after the celebration of the Holy Mass, the image of the Madonna will be brought to the churchyard and the city of Messina will be symbolically entrusted. The Madonna di Montalto, to which the miraculous appearance of the thirteenth century is linked during the reconstruction of the city after the expulsion of the Angevins, continues to represent an essential point of spiritual and cultural reference, strengthening every year the link between institutions, citizenship and religious heritage.