A crowd of faithful, mostly from Sulcis-Iglesiente, accompanied this afternoon the episcopal ordination ceremony of Monsignor Mario Farci, bishop of Iglesias, in the Basilica of Sant'Elena in Quartu.
He was welcomed by the bishops of Sardinia led by Monsignor Antonello Mura, bishop of Nuoro and Lanusei and president of the Sardinian Episcopal Conference, and many priests who had come from every part of the island.
In the front rows, the religious and military authorities. The mayor of Quartu, Graziano Milia, the president of the city council, Rita Murgioni, and the mayor of Iglesias, Mauro Usai.
It was Milia who spoke before the start of the ceremony, presided over by the Archbishop of Cagliari Giuseppe Baturi together with Arrigo Miglio, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagliari and Apostolic Administrator of Iglesias, Giuseppe Mani, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagliari and Monsignor Giovanni Paolo Zedda, Bishop Emeritus of Iglesias. "Dear Mario," said the mayor. "You become bishop of a prestigious diocese, of a complex, difficult, fascinating reality with so much past and recent history. We will not forget you and we ask you in your prayers and thoughts not to forget us."
During the homily Baturi highlighted how "this ordination takes place while the Holy Year is taking its first steps. Your task, dearest Don Mario, as a prophet, witness and servant of hope, is always to announce, witness and serve the Resurrection of the Lord and invite everyone to to make the transition to the new and beautiful life that He gives us."
The moment of communion becomes very long due to the presence of the numerous people who crowd the church, the courtyard of the oratory and the auditorium of the basilica, in front of the giant screens.
Subsequently, Monsignor Farci goes to greet everyone and receive hugs and applause, before the final greetings and thanks : «I thank those who came here from Sulcis, you certainly deserved much more than me, but what can I say? Be satisfied!» And then he addresses a thought «to the industrial workers of my diocese who are going through a moment of crisis».