On the first of June, the Brotherhood of the convent of St. Fortunato in Montefalco, currently the house of the aspirants and postulants of the Custody of the Holy Land, solemnly celebrated its Patron Saint. St. Fortunato. Not only is this the Saint after whom the convent’s Church is named. It is also the Patron Saint of the town of Montefalco, and so celebrations were not limited to the Franciscan house but involved the whole town.
On the previous evening, May 31, there was a procession with the relics of the Saint, carried by the Guardian of the convent, Brother Raffaello Tonello. The procession also included the carrying of the statue of St. Fortunato, and went through the streets of the small Umbrian town, stopping in front of the Town Hall the convent of the Poor Clare nuns. The procession also stopped to face the fields for the traditional blessing of the work by the farmers, who have been devoted to the saintly priest who earned a living by working in those same fields more than 1,600 years ago.
The procession wound its way from the parish Church of St. Bartholomew, where the transitus of St. Fortunato was celebrated (that is, the moment of his passage from this world to the house of the Celestial Father) to the Franciscan convent where the mortal remains of the patron saint rest. Brother Agustin Pelayo Fregoso decorated the shrine for the festive occasion.
On the morning of June 1, three Holy Masses followed on one another in the Franciscan Church. The last Mass at 11.00 a.m., was presided by His Excellence the Very Reverend Mons. Renato Broccardo, Archbishop of Spoleto. In his homily the Bishop recalled elements of the saintly priest who lived humbly from the work of his hands during the 4th century, and to underline how essential his example of life is. The religious celebration was followed by a festive lunch in the refectory of the ancient Franciscan convent, together with the Bishop and the local clergy, the Mayor and other civil authorities of Montefalco.
For the group of young Franciscan aspirants, who had arrived a few days earlier from Lebanon, Syria and the United States, it was the first occasion of a solemn liturgical engagement, in view of those who, God willing, await them in the Holy Land in the Sanctuaries of the Redemption.
On the previous evening, May 31, there was a procession with the relics of the Saint, carried by the Guardian of the convent, Brother Raffaello Tonello. The procession also included the carrying of the statue of St. Fortunato, and went through the streets of the small Umbrian town, stopping in front of the Town Hall the convent of the Poor Clare nuns. The procession also stopped to face the fields for the traditional blessing of the work by the farmers, who have been devoted to the saintly priest who earned a living by working in those same fields more than 1,600 years ago.
The procession wound its way from the parish Church of St. Bartholomew, where the transitus of St. Fortunato was celebrated (that is, the moment of his passage from this world to the house of the Celestial Father) to the Franciscan convent where the mortal remains of the patron saint rest. Brother Agustin Pelayo Fregoso decorated the shrine for the festive occasion.
On the morning of June 1, three Holy Masses followed on one another in the Franciscan Church. The last Mass at 11.00 a.m., was presided by His Excellence the Very Reverend Mons. Renato Broccardo, Archbishop of Spoleto. In his homily the Bishop recalled elements of the saintly priest who lived humbly from the work of his hands during the 4th century, and to underline how essential his example of life is. The religious celebration was followed by a festive lunch in the refectory of the ancient Franciscan convent, together with the Bishop and the local clergy, the Mayor and other civil authorities of Montefalco.
For the group of young Franciscan aspirants, who had arrived a few days earlier from Lebanon, Syria and the United States, it was the first occasion of a solemn liturgical engagement, in view of those who, God willing, await them in the Holy Land in the Sanctuaries of the Redemption.