The extraordinary openings of the city’s places of worship were also evocative and well attended: from the church of the Spirito Santo, with the concert of the “Exsultate Jubilate” choir directed by Nazzareno De Benedetto and the visits to the medieval cloister, to the sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine, up to the parish of San Nicolò all’Arcivescovado, which welcomed visitors with exhibitions and cultural moments. Among the highlights of the evening were the stage in Piazza Annibale M. Di Francia with the cabaret of Carlo Kaneba and Antonella Cirrone, the talent of the singer-songwriter Rosario Magazzù, but also the solidarity event organized by the director of the Mensa dei Poveri Elena Ricciari Donato on the steps of Largo Avignone, where other local artists and the guest star Jo Squillo took turns and the dance performances in Piazza Lo Sardo.
In addition to the artistic lights of Via Santa Cecilia, the entire event was framed by the floral mosaics created by the Paradisea Association of Camaro Superiore, the traveling musical bands, the show by the Filipino Catholic community and the street food village of Via Ghibellina, which accompanied the long night with traditional flavors and aromas.
In the late afternoon, in the basilica, the pontifical mass presided over by Archbishop Giovanni Accolla, concelebrated among others by the rector of the basilica, Father Mario Magro and his brother Antonio Leuci, superior of the religious province of the Rogationists of Central-Southern Italy and Albania).
Today the festival dedicated to the Saint of Padua will reach its most solemn moment: at 7.30 pm, from the courtyard of the Antonian Institute in via S. Cecilia, the traditional procession of the Triumphal Chariot of Saint Anthony will leave. The imposing structure with the statue of the Saint placed on the characteristic globe decorated with flowers will cross the streets of the center together with the reliquary bust, accompanied by priests, faithful, pilgrims and the little Antonian page boys. The day of celebration will end at 9.30pm with fireworks and a show by the Palermo comedian, face of RTP and TGS, Sasà Salvaggio.
Yesterday, on the occasion of the opening of the celebrations for the centenary of the death of St. Hannibal Mary of France, a philatelic postmark was issued: the president of the Peloritano Philatelic Club Antonio Triolo took care of the initiative. The cancellation was stamped, at the Messina 18 counter, by the mayor Federico Basile, together with the director of the Institute of the Rogationist Fathers Giorgio Nalin, Father Magro and Luca Militello, philatelic manager of the Italian Post Office. On the postcard the image of the founder of the congregations of the Rogationists and the Daughters of Divine Zeal, with the stylization of the Avignon neighborhood behind it, where the canon started a real social and cultural revolution.