“Nativitas” like the Nativity of Mary, to which the Vicoforte Sanctuary is dedicated, but also an allusion to rebirth: a new starting point for a monumental complex with a priceless heritage of art, history and spirituality. The Association for social promotion set up in June presented itself to the community of the faithful on Sunday 9 October, after the 6pm Mass, in the Basilica. It wants to be a tool to foster this rebirth, working alongside “Regina Montis Regalis” which has already been operating for years, to add other areas to those covered by the volunteers. New essential services for a spiritual pole in step with the contemporary world. At the end of the Mass, officiated by the rector don Francesco Tarò, the vicar general, don Flavio Begliatti, the president of the new association, Marzia Danna, and the secretary, Stefania Trombetta, took the floor to illustrate the relative news.
“The project to create an Association was born in 2020 – explained the president Danna – following a wide debate between volunteers and priests, also in view of the anniversary of the birth of Venerable Trombetta, founding father and first deacon of our Sanctuary” . From the calendar of initiatives carried out on that occasion, dedicated to bringing to light the events (mostly little known) that had given rise to Marian devotion, the new path began. The Association is founded on 18 founding members among diocesan clergy, religious and laity, coming from the five pastoral areas, engaged in three main areas such as: support for the liturgy; communication, through a press office and new digital systems; cultural and artistic promotion, to bring to life a new dimension of faith in communion with the art and history that characterize the Sanctuary of Vico. “This is the message: let’s go back to unite for something bigger than us” is the key phrase of the intervention of the secretary Trombetta. 
In her speech she then went into detail about the activities carried out by the volunteer guides in the summer (with a busy schedule that still continues in the early autumn months) and the creation of the new graphic identity of the Sanctuary, with the renewed website. “We will try to give an even more professional cut to the work of the guides, to improve the aspects of hospitality, with particular attention to people with disabilities, to collaborate in the creation of an inclusive audio guide, in adherence to the project” A Sanctuary to listen to “. In addition, work will be carried out on the constitution of a new reception area also dedicated to a sales point, probably located in the building ». In closing, the greeting of the bishop Msgr. Egidio Miragoli. At the end of the intense day of pastoral visit, he did not want to give up bringing his own encouragement and his blessing to the birth of the new reality: “We can attribute the origins of this Shrine to a layman, who then managed to aggregate so many people who are you have become collaborations, presences… This Association is also made up mainly of lay people to whom priests are added and to which my push and my support are added. Only in this way can something beautiful and good be done. Our reality requires more than many other collaboration and unity and the initiative that is presented this evening is an expression of this desire for unity and I hope it will create a lot ». The evening ended with a convivial moment at the “Regina Montis Regalis” house.
