While the war continues in Ukraine, the Shrine of Pompeii welcomes the proposal of the Italian Episcopal Conference, which, joining the initiative of the episcopal conferences of Europe, asks all the dioceses of the country to live a day of prayer and spirituality for peace in Ukraine. And so today the Diocese of Pompeii will also join in prayer for peace in Ukraine. The invitation came from the Italian Episcopal Conference which, by joining the initiative of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe, asked all the dioceses of the country to live a day of prayer and spirituality for peace in Ukraine. The appointment at the Shrine is at 4 pm, when the Holy Mass will be celebrated, at the end of which the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed. Since the outbreak of the conflict at the end of last month, the Marian Shrine has, in fact, implemented a series of important initiatives in favor of the Ukrainian people who have been severely affected. Thanks above all to the commitment of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic community of Pompeii, many packs of food and other basic necessities were packaged, to be sent to areas tormented by the barbarism of war; numerous Ukrainian families who fled the bombs and the wake of death and blood were given hospitality in the Sanctuary’s Charitable Works; Italian language courses have been organized for their children. In addition, there were several moments of prayer, such as the one that will be experienced tomorrow, to make people feel our affection and support. On Friday 16 September, at 5.45 pm, in the Marianna De Fusco Room, the book by Don Salvatore Sorrentino will be presented, “In silence the whisper of a voice. Bartolo Longo’s spiritual itinerary “. In the volume, recently published by Effatà Editrice, the author, priest of the Pompeian clergy and director of the historical archive of the Shrine of Pompeii, explains the inner conflict of the founder Bartolo Longo who, at a young age, a university student in Naples, fell into error of spiritism. Longo goes through the passage from error to radical conversion, thanks to the help of professor Vincenzo Pepe and his Dominican father, his spiritual assistant, Father Alberto Radente, and thanks to the example of some friends-saints, starting with Santa Caterina Volpicelli, much venerated in Naples. In a path of conversion already undertaken, in October 1972, the Blessed was walking through the then Valley of Pompeii when he had an interior inspiration – Don Sorrentino defines it as “locutio interior” -: «If you seek salvation, spread the Rosary. It is Mary’s promise. Whoever propagates the Rosary is saved! ». In the book, the author focuses his attention on those words and on an episode that radically changed the history of this land. After the greeting address of the Archbishop of Pompeii, Monsignor Tommaso Caputo, will be attended by Monsignor Francesco Orazio Piazza, Bishop of Sessa Aurunca and Professor Francesco Asti, dean of the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Southern Italy – St. Thomas Section. Dr. Maria Chiara Pensallorto will moderate the meeting in the presence of the author.
