by Elisabetta Ciancio
Parish feast of Madonna delle Lacrime in Vittoria (Rg) from Saturday 28 September to Monday 7 October. Like every year, the whole community met to share moments of spirituality, brotherhood and fun. The feast involved the little ones, the young people, the adults. Every day was dedicated to Mary.
On Saturday, the first day of the celebrations, during the mass, the sacrament of the anointing of the sick; in the afternoon, in honor of “Mary, woman of Charity”, the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul, together with the boys of Catholic Action and catechism, organized a food collection of basic necessities for needy families in the streets of the neighborhood.
Sunday 29th was the day of “Mary, Queen of Prayer” on the occasion of the 432nd anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation of the Doctrinaries Fathers; in the evening there was music, dancing and a festival of mitilugghia, the fried bread pizza typical of Ragusa cuisine. During the week there were several events: on the day dedicated to “Mary, woman of service”, the mass celebrated in a street of the neighborhood involved the residents who organized the evening of fraternity; on the occasion of the day of “Mary, Queen of the family”, the children who were preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Communion accompanied by their parents participated in a moment of catechesis; the first Friday of the month, “Mary, woman of the Eucharist”, was dedicated to personal Adoration while in the evening a moment of prayer saw the presence of the young people of the Vittoria parish community. In this regard, attention to synodality has not diminished: on Wednesday 2 October, the solemnity of the Guardian Angels, the mass included the participation of the neighbouring parishes of Madonna Assunta, Spirito Santo, Anime Sante del Purgatorio and Madonna della Salute.
On Saturday 5 October, the day dedicated to “Mary, Mother of the Word made flesh”, the community accompanied the children who received their First Communion; followed by the musical evening “i Colori della Musica” organized in collaboration by the children of the parish and the cultural association “Gli Enarmonici”.
Sunday, October 6, the day of the external celebration, the bicycle ride “Through the streets with Mary” was scheduled to discover the Marian churches of the city. The evening mass was celebrated by Father Sergio La Pegna, Superior General of the Doctrinaries Fathers, who donated the relic of Saint Caesar set in the precious reliquary created by the artist Rosario Di Gangi.
The Hymn to the Madonna delle Lacrime performed by the parish boys started the procession through the streets of the neighborhood welcomed by residents with small altars, drapes and lights.
On Monday 7 October, at the end of the celebrations, the 19th anniversary of the dedication of the liturgy hall was celebrated, with the rite of lighting candles, and the 58th anniversary of the canonical erection of the parish.
The evening mass was celebrated by Father Sergio La Pegna
The procession through the streets of the neighborhood
The Saint Cesare reliquary
