Benedictine Celebrations

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The Benedictine Celebrations (period February – July 2024), organized by the Municipality of Norcia, are an annual event with a strong identity character, dedicated to the patron saint of the city St. Benedict and now in its 60^ edition, since the saint was proclaimed Main Patron of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964.
The event, presented in Rome on January 31, 2024, at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Italy, takes place under the High Patronage of the European Parliament and under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

After the Holy Father’s blessing in the Vatican and the visit to the Chamber of Deputies, on February 17, 2024, the following was held:
• the lighting ceremony of the Benedictine Torch “Pro Pace et Europa Una”, a symbolic relay of the Light and Peace of St. Benedict escorted by young torchbearers who this year, accompanied by the official delegations of the Benedictine cities of Norcia, Subiaco and Cassino, went to Prague (19-22 February), with the mission of recovering, enhancing and spreading the Benedictine values on which the culture and civilization of the European continent are based;
• the parade of historical processions of the three Benedictine cities, in the name of the twinning pact signed by the Mayors in office in 2017 at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels and signed by the then President Antonio Tajani;
• a food and wine tasting of local products

On 20 and 21 March 2024, the Solemn Celebrations in honour of St. Benedict took place in Norcia:
• on the evening of 20 March, the Benedictine Torch, returning from its journey in Europe and then in Italy, along the Way of St. Benedict, traveled by the marchers entirely on foot for over 300 km, was welcomed in Piazza San Benedetto, with the lighting of the tripod in the presence of the religious, civil and military authorities and the entire citizenry. The ceremony ended with the pyro-musical show;
• on March 21 the parade of the Historical Parade of St. Benedict of Norcia was held, which originates from the Ancient Statutes and the subsequent Reforms, with the participation of the representatives, in the period costumes of the consular municipality:
– of the six Guaite, the current districts of the city: Porta Meggiana, Porta Massari, Porta Orientale, Porta Palatina, Porta Valledonna and Porta Narenula;
– dei Castelli, for the offering of the Pallium, a banner of fine fabric, richly embroidered, bearing the coat of arms of the Castle.
This will be followed by the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration dedicated to the Saint, on the day on which the “transit” is celebrated, that is, the anniversary of the death of the founder of Western monasticism and of the “Ora et labora” rule.

On 11 July 2024, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Patronage of St. Benedict, musical initiatives will be held in honor of the saint, aimed in particular at Italian-descendant tourists, with the involvement of the City of Norcia Band Complex and the San Benedetto City of Norcia Choir and the collaboration of the Nursina Friends of Ottobeuren Association. The latter association, together with its German counterpart and the two municipalities of Norcia and Ottobeuren in Bavaria, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the twinning between the two communities.