Celebration for the unveiling of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto
The airport community of Fiumicino will celebrate next Friday 10 December a very important religious event: the permanent presence of a bronze statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto, patron saint of pilots, airmen, flight attendants and airport operators, in a high traffic apron of the airport, on the 90th anniversary of her declaration as Patron Saint of aviation, made by Pope Benedict XVI in 1920.The statue represents the Holy Mary with Infant Jesus enfolded in her arms, according to the original image of the Holy House of Loreto.

 

The religious event is associated with the cultural choice of the airport which serves the Capital City of Italy and the centre of Christianity, with the intention to stress the historical truth of a Europe with Christian roots that cannot be ignored: the more they are strengthened, the more the dignity of mankind and the vocation to transcend grow, hence favouring the respectful and supportive contact with the populations and civilisations of the other Continents.

The celebration will take place next Friday 10 December 2010, at h. 10.30 am, at the Church of S. Maria degli Angeli (Saint Mary of the Angels) with a solemn Eucharistic concelebration presided by H.E. Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican and Vicar General of His Holiness for the State of Vatican City; H.E. Giuseppe Bertello, Apostolic Nuncio of the Diplomatic Mission of the Holy See in Italy and San Marino; H.E. Mons. Gino Reali, Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina; H.E. Mons. Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers; H. E. Mons. Francesco Gioia, Bishop Emeritus of Camerino-San Severino Marche; Mons. Liberio Andreatta, vice-president of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi. Religious, civil and military authorities and many representatives of airport operators will attend the ceremony.

Then the statue will be unveiled. Last 1 December, the statue was blessed personally by Pope Benedict XVI during the Wednesday General Audience with the participation of the Diocese representatives, of ADR top management and of the airport authorities.

Many European airports will spiritually gather with the Leonardo da Vinci airport at the time of the ceremony, taking few minutes to pray, as promoted by the Catholic chaplains in the chapels of the airports of Paris, London, Madrid, Frankfurt, Lyon and other cities, to witness the depth and vitality of the same Christian roots that they share with Rome.

Fiumicino, 7 December 2010 
ADR S.p.A. Press Release 
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