The ancient rite of the Mass of the Spadone has been renewed in the Basilica of Aquileia. Celebrating Mass for the first time was Don Mirko Franetovich, who not without emotion repeated the ancient rite, prior to the Mass of the Spadone of Cividale del Friuli in 1366 which is celebrated on the day of the Epiphany, in the presence of many people who also from neighboring villages, and the mayor Emanuele Zorino.
The celebration of the mass of the Spadone has its roots in the first half of the fourteenth century when the Patriarch of Aquileia Bertrando di San Genesio, after having conquered Cormons, was forced to celebrate the mass on Christmas night of 1340 outdoors in Gorizia, wearing the armor of war and imparting the blessing with the two-handed broadsword.
This particular liturgy has remained the practice of the Church of Gorizia for centuries in the celebrations of Holy Christmas. Having lost the Isonzo tradition, mass is currently solemnly celebrated on Christmas night in the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia.
An altar server assisting the priest during the solemn proclamation of the Gospel puts on the helmet and holds the greatsword, at the end, he cuts the air with the white weapon towards the four cardinal points as a sign of blessing. Finally he places the broadsword at the feet of the Child Jesus placed in the manger.
This moment was aimed at affirming the spiritual, military and civil power of the patriarch of Aquileia. On the occasion, Mayor Zorino took the floor to wish his community best wishes, adopting the words of Pope Francis in which, “it is necessary to take care of the Common House entrusted as a precious asset to be protected in a fraternal and shared way”.
He recalled “love and beauty, of which the magnificent Civitas Aquileiensis is a shining example, will save the world if we can constructively and responsibly commit ourselves to its renovatio.
A city like ours – he said – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the beating heart of our region, due to its origins and its history, is today characterized by the activities proposed aimed at the common good”.