The Holy Cross of Castano Primo
A whole year dedicated to the Holy Crucifix Castano : almost 2000 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, the town of Castano Primo celebrates its most venerated crucifix, now preserved in the apse of the Church of the Parish of St. Zeno Prepositurale. Preparations for the Feast of the Cross has already begun. The first celebrations will begin in September this year to get to their peak in May of 2009.
The Feast of the Crucifixion is an event that draws thousands of people from neighboring countries and cities from across the province. This is the most important religious event of the entire area. It takes place every 25 years by mid-nineteenth century. Flags, lights, doors triumphal invade Castano Primo, as a testimony of faith and devotion to the Holy Crucifix. The Archbishop of Milan traditionally closes the celebrations, but for 2009 is expected to double presence: the opening of the Feast of the Cross will be presided by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, who had closed the celebrations as Archbishop of Milan in 1984, and closing by Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, the current Archbishop of Milan. "The crucifix is a great hope for the future, we want to bring and deliver to future generations, "he said during the recent celebrations Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. "The next festival will be crucified in the year 2000. We will see then what we have delivered to future generations. What faith and what hope have received a gift from us. "
And now, 25 years later, back in Castano Primo to open the celebrations of the Feast of the Holy Cross, to see the promise then made on behalf of the faithful by the pastor at the time, Don Joseph Sisti, who died recently. "At our crucified promise," he said before the crowd of the faithful, "which as we have now proven to be of one heart and one soul, one heart and one mind we will be when, removed the decorations of the party, return to our everyday life, our little things that will always think, however, stimulated and consecrated to the love that Christ has given us. " Don Lino Cerruti, former pastor of the parish of Our Lady of the Poor of Brown remembers the first day of the celebration of 1984: "We laid in our memory a cherished memory and enlightening: the tramanderemo to posterity with pride and our deposit in the heart with its ability to inspire unlimited confidence. " The entire town of Castano Primo is preparing the festivities for the next twenty-five Feast of the Crucified, to welcome and make you feel at home all those who choose to participate.
"The translations of the May 2009 want to be crucified in the embrace of Brown for all to hear that his love is watching over us," said Don Giuseppe Monti, pastor of the parish of San Zeno in Castano Primo.
"It is an event that has a great religious significance and will have a very high impact participatory," says Fulvio Griffanti, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture, Sport, Leisure Castano Primo. "I am honored to be part of this committee and, as a municipality, we will give full cooperation so that everything runs smoothly. For the first time the Holy Cross is in all districts of Castano Primo, even in new structures such as the Auditorium and the marquee of the football field. Hope passes through our city streets. It takes a witness who comes from afar and we pass this baton to future generations. "
Origin of the Crucifix of Castano Primo
According to a story would have been brought from Jerusalem at the time of the Crusades and donated to the parish of Castano Primo from Knight of Malta Fra Round of the Cross. Some even have suggested that it was the work of the Evangelist St. Luke. In 1800 the farmers were told that miraculously arrived in the country led by the waters of the Ticino in full. The crucifix displayed in the apse of the Church of San Zeno Prepositurale in Piazza San Zeno, was, according to historians, the early sixteenth century, a time when in Milan and nearby there was a remarkable flowering of devotion to the Crucified .
He speaks for the first time in a document dated 1566. This is a description of the Church of St. Zeno of Castano Primo, where it says that before the high altar was erected a "large crucifix." The devotion grew rapidly, so that in the seventeenth century was regarded as miraculous crucifix surrounded by a great popular devotion also grew in the eighteenth century. There are several witnesses of the miracles of the Crucified. In 1714 in Castano Primo and the area there was a terrible drought, which devastated the lives of farmers. Useless were the efforts to save the crops. On the advice of one of the people of the village cared Castanese turned with confidence to the Holy Cross and, as you said, before nightfall, the sky, which was blue, was covered with clouds and heavy rain began to fall campaigns that refreshed and filled the wells they used the peasants. Later other miracles occurred that aroused increasing devotion in neighboring countries. In the first half of the devotion to the crucifix Brown continued to remain very much alive: they were celebrating several Masses and many people brought gifts to be hung as a votive offering. At the same time were printed images to be offered to the veneration of the faithful. In 1859, during the Second War of Independence, there was another event where castanesi Nicea see special protection of the Cross in the country and its inhabitants. On 3 June of that year the Austrians pointed their guns on their streets, as a defensive measure to cope with the advance of the Piedmont. The castanesi took refuge in the church to pray to the crucifix to ward off the danger.
The dreaded downfall did not happen: the Austrians retreated without firing and the country was safe. After this fact was established, in gratitude, to carry in solemn procession through the country the miracle worker Crucified every 25 years. The promise was kept, and the solemn translation is repeated regularly. The latest celebrations were those of 1984, the next ones in 2009, which has already begun preparations.
