Someone has cut off the fingers of the hand and the “feet” of the Child Jesus that he carries in his arms “A few hours earlier we had celebrated mass”. Investigations open, the mayor: “They are established”
CASTELFRANCO. It happened on Sunday night, on the day of his feast: the statue of Sant’Antonio, in the capital in the center of Salvatronda, was the subject of an act of vandalism: unknown persons damaged the fingers of the right hand of the Saint and the feet of the Child Jesus which he holds in his arms, according to classical iconography.
A gesture that aroused the deep indignation of the residents because this capital constitutes, together with the “s’cieson” – secular hackberry – one of the reference points of the hamlet. After the feast dedicated to the saint, which was held in advance on Saturday evening, since on Sunday in the parish church there was the celebration of first communions, everything was fine: “In addition to the mass,” explains councilor Matteo Zanellato, the first to whom he is the nasty surprise was communicated, «there was also the traditional distribution of the blessed bread, known as Sant’Antonio. It is a festival deeply felt by the whole population: and everyone is very fond of the capital ». It has dominated the center of the hamlet for over a hundred years: it was erected in 1913 and was built with the so-called “remittances” of the Salvatronda emigrants who wanted to honor the “Venetian” saint (actually Portuguese of origin, but revered in Padua) best known in the world.
«Sunday morning», explains Eugenio Bilibio, member of the fractional committee and of the USD Salvatronda, «a lady who, like others, dedicates herself to the care and cleaning of the capital has not noticed anything in particular. On Monday morning the massacre was there for all to see. Unfortunately, this act of vandalism is added to others: the sports venue has been subjected to damage and theft at least three times in the last year and a writer has smeared several points in the center ».
Upon receiving the report, the councilor immediately notified the mayor Stefano Marcon who in turn alerted the local police who will proceed ex officio at the prosecutor’s office. “It is really unpleasant to know that there are those who enjoy targeting religious monuments, damaging them for no reason,” says Marcon. “The local police are examining the footage taken by the cameras in order to identify those responsible, although I would like the perpetrators of the gesture to admit their faults or to return the parts detached from the statue anonymously.” There is the will that the statuary group be immediately restored: the professional has already been contacted who already in 2013, on the occasion of the centenary of the capital, had carried out the work to restore it to its ancient splendor supported with the contribution of the local artisans. Davide Nordio