Giovinazzo: On July 9th, the Restored Statue of St. Francis of Paola Returns Home by Carlo Coppola
The prelude to the entire cycle will be the evening of Thursday, July 9th, the most anticipated moment. At 8:00 PM, the Eucharistic Celebration, presided over by the Spiritual Assistant Father Pasquale Rago, will be followed by the presentation of the restoration work on the statue of St. Francis of Paola. The presentation will be given by restorer Dr. Loredana Acquaviva, technical-scientific coordinator Dr. Agnese Sasso, and art historian Prof. Francesco Di Palo.
Adding institutional significance to the evening will be the participation of Dr. Francesca Romana Paolillo, Superintendent, and Dr. Lorenzo Orsini, procedure manager and art history official, both from the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Bari. This represents a seal of scientific guarantee that places the return of the simulacrum not only within the sphere of popular devotion but also in the equally precious context of the protection of Puglia’s artistic heritage. The return of the restored statue thus takes on the value of a true foundational act, capable of restoring to the community an identity symbol renewed in its material form and intact in its function as a sign of faith, right on the eve of the days when it will once again be the protagonist of the city’s streets and waters.
The celebrations will continue until July 16th. The day of July 10th will be dedicated to sea workers, in collaboration with the “Amici del Gozzo” Association and the Giovinazzo Naval League. On Saturday, July 11th, with the participation of the “Massimo Cervone” Rowers Association, the admission of new confreres will take place, with their investiture following the Holy Mass at 8:00 PM.
On Sunday, July 12th, the miracle of St. Francis of Paola crossing the Strait of Messina will be commemorated. With a solemn procession, the effigy of the Thaumaturge Saint—formerly protector of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies—will be carried to the entrance of the port of Giovinazzo, where a wreath donated by the National Association of Italian Sailors will be laid in memory of the victims of the sea.
This will be followed, from July 13th to 15th, by the Marian Triduum in preparation for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel, which on July 16th will conclude the cycle with the renewal of the confraternal promises. On the first two days, Papás Antonio Calisi, a Catholic priest of the Byzantine rite, will illustrate the figure of the Mother of God in the light of Christian faith between East and West. On the 16th, the liturgical celebration will be presided over by Don Ignazio Gadaleta, parish priest of the Church of San Michele Arcangelo in Ruvo di Puglia.
