ALPAGO. From the Alpago basin on foot to the Madonna di Follina on a pilgrimage against the covid.
It happened on Sunday, under a pouring rain that did not, however, dampen the desire to complete the journey on the part of those who had undertaken it. The protagonist was a group of faithful, who were then joined by the parish priests of the Alpago, the mayors and other pilgrims, who arrived by bus or with their own cars.
Also this year, as per tradition, on the occasion of the solemnity of Pentecost, the parishes of the Alpago have been to the abbey of the Madonna della Follina to keep a vow.
More than 5 centuries ago – at least so the chronicles recall – the alpagots came down to Follina, on foot, to invoke a particular protection from the Madonna: that from the fog that damaged the crops, then practically the only source of livelihood for the populations. Since then, the pilgrimage has been repeated annually. During the mass, concelebrated by the four parish priests of the Alpago, Don Lorenzo Sperti, parish priest of Farra and Santa Croce, recalled how significant the pilgrimage was for the faithful of the Alpago; he then thanked the representatives of the municipal administrations and the Servants of Mary custodians of the Cistercian complex for the warm welcome they received. In particular, however, Don Lorenzo expressed his gratitude to the numerous pilgrims who participated despite the restrictions. Intense prayer first of all for the victims of the Covid and then in support of those who have faced the most diverse difficulties in the pandemic. Among other things, the pilgrimage showed how much the harmony between the various parishes is already present in the context of “pastoral collaboration” between them.