It seems everyone wants to share their sacrifice. If the faithful could embrace the runners, once they've stopped after their great effort, their white robes soaked with sweat and dust, they would. To say a simple thank you to everyone, as if that human army were running to pray for the well-being of the entire community that rejoices for them.
Faith in San Salvatore has become contagious. Never before have so many people gathered around that army of men dressed in white. Faithful people have come from every corner of the island , but especially tourists who leave Sinis captivated by the ritual.
Last night, 900 runners carried the statue of San Salvatore from the rural village to the lagoon town: it's the final act of the Corsa degli Scalzi. It's 7:30 PM and the red flag can be seen in the distance. There they are, you can see them. Despite their fatigue, the runners are incredibly fast and arrive in Cabras as true winners.
They are welcomed by the warmth of their town, decked out for the holidays and swarming with tourists. The sunset behind them seems to frame this great moment of faith that unites everyone in Cabras. In honor of the Saint, firecrackers are set off for almost half an hour.
The Discalced, who left the ancient village of Sinis at 6:30 PM, traveled the same route as Saturday morning, enveloped in clouds of dust and with the Saint on their shoulders. Their Jesus helped them this time too. This is what they say when they reach the entrance to the village, tired, sore, and thirsty. Some are limping, others can barely stand after having asked Saint Salvatore for something that cannot be revealed.
For them, it's a time of tears, of hugs. But also of happiness for having made it. "It was a great effort, but it is precisely in walking and running together that the strength of this extraordinary event lies. It is in sharing the effort and in mutual support that San Salvatore finds its deepest meaning. This year too, we monitored every step of the route, maintaining a high level of attention to safety, so that all runners could proceed as calmly and safely as possible. This coordination is not a given for an event that has now gained resonance beyond the regional borders." says Mayor Andrea Abis .
We are grateful to have kept our promise, ensuring that our celebration continues to be alive in every aspect, even the most profound, hidden, yet recurring year after year without ever changing. Our warmest wish to those who will follow us in the future is that we continue to walk this path with faith and respect. states Roberto Matta, president of the organizing committee for the civil celebrations, with satisfaction.