The community of Marianella, in Naples, celebrated with devotion and fervor of the solemnity of Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, one of the city’s most venerated saints. The saint’s birthplace, located on Via del Borgo Alfonsiano, was the heart of the celebrations, which took place from July 29th to August 1st and included a triduum of prayer and preaching led by Father Vincenzo La Mendola.
On the eve of the feast, a pilgrimage took place from Miano to Marianella, with the participation of faithful and priests, culminating in a Eucharistic concelebration. The celebration was attended by numerous faithful, who attended Masses, visited the saint’s rooms, and received blessed scapulars.
More information on the participants and the proceedings of the celebration in honor of Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori in Naples is available in the report published below by Don Michele Marra.
Naples – Marianella: Triduum and Solemnity of St. Alphonsus
in the Rectory of his Birthplace
This year too, the city of Naples, “land of saints,” paid homage to one of its most illustrious sons, “the saintliest of Neapolitans and the most Neapolitan of saints,” as Saint Alphonsus was described.
After the painful closure of the house of St. Anthony and St. Alphonsus in Tarsia, the Redemptorist Missionaries’ presence in Naples remained solely in the Holy Founder’s birthplace, in Marianella, where the surrounding area also takes his name; the De Liguori Palace is located on Via del Borgo Alfonsiano. The small chapel, now also a rectory, was the center of initiatives to celebrate St. Alphonsus in the best possible way, in the place where it all began, with his birth.
As they do every year, the community of Fathers organized a triduum of prayer and preaching to offer the neighborhood faithful an opportunity for reflection and a chance to learn more about Saint Alphonsus and his spirituality. To this end, they invited Fr. Vincenzo La Mendola, archivist, and member of the Redemptorists’ Historical Institute in Rome, already known to the people of Marianella from previous sermons. This year, the topics addressed by the preacher helped us focus our attention on key aspects of Alphonsian spirituality: St. Alphonsus and the involvement of the laity in the mission; St. Alphonsus as a teacher of spiritual life; St. Alphonsus as confessor and formator of conscience; and St. Alphonsus as a teacher of spiritual life. Using simple language and a direct style, the preacher developed the three themes, engaging the interest of the congregation, always large each evening, and introducing us to frequent quotations and examples from the works and life of St. Alphonsus. We heard a vibrant and captivating St. Alphonsus. A very modern saint, whose charisma and spiritual message perfectly correspond to the path of today’s Christians.
The eve of the feast was marked by a twinning between two communities, both linked to the Holy Doctor: Marianella and Miano, both on the outskirts of the city. In the late afternoon, a pilgrimage to Marianella began from the Parish of St. Alphonsus and St. Gerard. The faithful of Miano, with their parish priest, Father Salvatore Cinque, carried in procession one of the two statues kept in their church, sparking much curiosity and enthusiasm in the streets, accompanied by songs and prayers. Upon their arrival, they were welcomed by the superior, Father Ciro Avella, tireless director and organizer of all the activities, by the Fathers and the faithful of Marianella. Once the statue of the Saint was enthroned next to the altar, the concelebration began, attended by other priests and the parish priest of the Parish of Marianella, Father Pasquale Fioretti, along with a large group of collaborators and faithful. Once the celebration was over, the Saint’s scapulars were blessed and distributed to the faithful. The statue was then placed on a truck and taken back to the church in Miano.
On August 1st, a silent pilgrimage began in the early hours of the morning: visits to the chapel, participation in Holy Mass, and a tour of the Saint’s rooms filled the entire morning. A number of lay people were available to welcome and accompany the visitors.
At 9:00 a.m., Mass was celebrated by the parish priest and led by parish workers. At 10:30 a.m., Father Michele Marra, parish priest of the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Capodichino, presided, accompanied by representatives of his community and a fine group of young altar servers. Monsignor Beniamino De Palma, Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Nola, had been invited to the evening Mass. However, due to illness, he was unable to attend, delegating his secretary, Father Luigi Napoleone of the Vincentian Missionaries, chaplain of the Pilgrims’ Hospital, who presided over the solemn concelebration. Father Vincenzo gave the homily, presenting the figure of Saint Alphonsus, highlighting his relevance for the Church and the world today, and highlighting the saint’s contribution to the growth of Italian culture and identity.
Other priests, two deacons, and a fine group of altar servers also attended the concelebration. Some members of the Charismatic Renewal group enlivened the celebration with singing, and members of the Marianella Pro Loco association participated, making a crucial contribution to the celebration.
The community superior and rector of the Chapel thanked everyone with evident emotion at the end, invoking the protection of the Holy Bishop upon the families and all the inhabitants of Marianella and the city of Naples. The feast of the saint was an opportunity to strengthen community bonds and experience profound faith. Many people requested the sacrament of confession, others spent time in prolonged prayer, and still others requested a book on Saint Alphonsus to learn more about him.
A few fireworks displays throughout the day, and the ringing of the rectory bells, long silenced, enlivened the solemnity, helping to create a festive atmosphere.
Saint Alphonsus is truly felt by the Marianella community as one of the family. Pride in preserving his birthplace and his memories is combined with the desire to know him better and to make him known to everyone.
A celebration in the garden of St. Alphonsus, organized by the Parish and some of the faithful, concluded the festivities the following day.
Even in the Parish of the Vergini district, the parish priest, and the faithful paid homage to Saint Alphonsus with a triduum and a solemn Eucharistic celebration, as happened in other places in the city, where his memory and his cult are alive.
It is undeniable that Saint Alphonsus still has much to say to us: he continues to preach through his children and his writings, and to be a light and guide to all those who wish to undertake the path of holiness.
Fr. Michele Marra
