" We celebrate the Holy Martyrs, an example of courage, to whom our Basilica is dedicated, a national monument and proof of the uninterrupted continuity of a thousand-year-old cult. It is the sign of a great cultural, spiritual, and religious heritage, a moment of celebration that unites the four parishes of this community." These words were spoken during the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Monsignor Salvatore Masia and concelebrated by the parish priests and priests of the city—Fr. Andrea Stara, Fr. Boniface Da, Fr. Michele Murgia, and Fr. Giuseppe Pisanu of the diocese of Bosa—before the wooden statues of the three Martyrs of Bosa, Gavino, Proto, and Gianuario.
The solemn procession began from Balai Park, carrying the statues of the patron saints , "pillars of the community," to the Basilica of San Gavino. They were followed by civil and military authorities, Mayor Massimo Mulas, costumed figures from the Etnos and Intragnas groups, the Sennori City Band, and the flag committees. The procession was followed by a crowd of faithful who wanted to honor the three saints.
"Martyrdom is objective proof of a level of love that reaches heroism," adds Monsignor Masia, "and the Martyrs did not die simply to remain faithful to Christ, because their sacrifice not only enhances their person, but what makes them great is having imitated Jesus in physical death, faced with courage for the salvation of their brothers. They died so that their example might contribute to saving so many people and so many souls."
The celebration of the mass was preceded by the historical reenactment in traditional medieval costumes of "Il Sogno di Comita" organized by the Giudicato di Torres Association.
Today at 10:00 a.m., the day of Festha Manna, the Solemn Pontifical Mass will be held in the Basilica, presided over by Metropolitan Archbishop Francesco Soddu and concelebrated by the parish priests and priests of the diocese. It will conclude with the traditional exchange of keys between the mayors of Porto Torres and Sassari, a symbolic rite representing the communion between the two cities. At 11:00 a.m., the Procession in honor of the Blessed Sacrament will begin, concluding with the blessing of the sea in the port area.
