Lake Garda Religious Event Celebrates San Vigilio’s Tradition and Unity
The populations around Lake Garda in the name of Vigilio. Tomorrow, a religious event will take place on the lake with the aim of drawing attention to the work carried out by San Vigilio (patron saint of the city of Trento). The event is significant not only in Trentino but also in the Veronese and Brescian territories, where several churches are dedicated to him: among these, Montecastello and Salò in the province of Brescia, and Punta San Vigilio in the territory of the municipality of Garda. Legend, as also recognized by the poet Dante, states that San Vigilio would have met the bishops of Brescia and Verona on Lake Garda and agreed with them on the division of pastoral territories.
The event and its significance
Thus, with the intent of recalling the historical collaborations between the three religious and civil entities, the inter-diocesan committee (Verona, Brescia, and Trento) has chosen April 25th as the date to promote a popular event and a religious celebration, which will be presided over by the bishops of the three dioceses. The event also aims to honor the tradition of blessing the lake, a practice established by the Serenissima Republic on the feast day of Saint Mark the Evangelist.
The ritual and the procession on the lake
At Punta San Vigilio, tomorrow at 10:30 am, the three boats of Navigarda, departing from Riva, Salò, and Desenzano, will converge with the bishops who will celebrate the water liturgy and will be welcomed by Garda’s parish priest as part of the rogation rites. The motorboats will then arrive in Garda, where pilgrims will disembark and gather at 12 pm in the parish church for a concelebration of the Eucharist. The service will be led by Bishop Flavio Roberto Carraro of Verona, with the presence of Archbishop Luigi Bressan of Trento and Bishop Giulio Sanguinetti of Brescia.
The event will also be attended by Ingrid Rauh, a pastor from the evangelical church. All offerings collected will be used to reduce the foreign debt of poor countries. After the ceremony, a packed lunch and a community celebration will follow, animated by the youth group Grande coro insieme di Brescia.
Meaning and objectives of the event
The event, beyond its commemorative aspect, highlights the urgent need for collaboration among the three entities: in the pastoral field, particularly regarding tourism and youth pastoral care, but also in civil matters. The procession on the lake symbolizes unity and the meeting of the dioceses and serves as an opportunity to bring people together, remember history, and strengthen relationships.
