Rome honors its patron saints, the apostles Peter and Paul. Fulcrum of religious celebrations is the Vatican basilica where Pope Francis, the morning of Tuesday 29 June, he presides over the Eucharistic celebration with the traditional blessing of the balls for the new metropolitan archbishops. Then, as usual, at 12, the pontiff will look out onto St. Peter's Square for the Angelus prayer, which will be followed by the "plenum", or rather the ringing of all the bells of the Vatican basilica.
Caput mundi and the feast of the patrons Peter and Paul
For the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople will be visiting Rome from 28 to 30 June 2022. An audience with the Pope and the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Holy Father are scheduled. An official note released on the event explains that “the context is the framework of the traditional exchange of delegations for the respective feasts of the patron saints. On 29 June in Rome for the celebration of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and on 30 November in Istanbul for the celebration of St. Andrew the apostle ".
The delegation will be led by the archbishop of Telmissos Job, representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the Ecumenical Council of Churches and co-president of the International Joint Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. Archbishop Job will be accompanied by the bishop of Halicarnassos, Adrianos and by the patriarchal deacon Barnabas Grigoriadis. On Wednesday 29 June, the delegation of the Patriarchate will attend the solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Holy Father. He will also have conversations with the Dicastery for the promotion of Christian unity. Finally, Thursday 30 June, an audience with Pope Francis is scheduled.
La Girandola and the fair
One of the unmissable events of the feast of the patron saints in Rome is the Girandola which this year will take place at the Pincio. The terrace overlooking Piazza del Popolo. This is the historical re-enactment of the Girandola of Castel Sant'Angelo. The fireworks show was born in 1481, under the pontificate of Sixtus IV della Rovere. Conceived by the great artist Michelangelo, it was then made by GianLorenzo Bernini.
It even seems that Bernini took inspiration from the eruptive power of the Stromboli volcano to make the game of fires even more evocative and phantasmagoric. Also for the celebrations of the patron saints, the fair also returns and will be set up in a section of via Ostiense, between via Giustiniano Imperatore and via Giulio Rocco. The exhibition stands will be open to visitors from 20pm on 28 June to 24 on 29 June.
