During the week that included the end of April and the beginning of May, 2022, Assisi turned into a crossroads of events and initiatives, all devoted to rejecting war and promoting a culture of peace.
On Saturday, April 23, 2022, a conference entitled “The Way of Peace” took place at the Sacred Convent of Assisi. It was promoted by the Tavola della Pace Association (an organization promoting human rights). The event began with some opening remarks by Friar Marco MORONI, the Custos of the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Italy (Assisi). Afterwards, there were presentations from important personalities in the Italian social and cultural world, including His Eminence Matteo Cardinal ZUPPI, Archbishop of Bologna; Marco TARQUINIO, Director of the Italian daily newspaper Avvenire; Flavio LOTTI, Coordinator of the Peruagissisi Peace March; the essayist Cecilia STRADA; the poet Dacia MARAINI; and others. The participants reflected upon and discussed the fact that peace results from justice and tenacious dialogue, not from the violent use of arms.
In the evening, there was a prayer vigil for peace presided over by His Eminence Michael Cardinal CZERNY, S.J., Prefect of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Cardinal CZERNY also presided over Mass on Sunday, April 24. The Mass was followed by the arrival of members of this year’s extraordinary Perugiassisi Peace March. For the first time, the march ended in the square in front of the lower Basilica of St. Francis, so that believers might again accept the theme of prayer for personal conversion, regarding one’s brothers and sisters, following the example of St. Francis, as a precondition for any journey of peace.
Finally, on Sunday, May 1, 2022, International Workers’ Day, the traditional demonstration by the labor unions of Italy took place in Assisi, again in the square in front of the lower Basilica of St. Francis. The demonstration celebrated the theme of labor, which is indeed, inseparable from that of peace, security and solidarity. Also on this occasion, the General Custos, Friar Marco MORONI, gave an opening speech which was broadcast live on Italy’s RAI 3 television network. Friar Marco mentioned that in addition to economic development, we must also focus on civil, social and cultural development and we should never forget to care for the natural environment and for those who are marginalized or facing difficulties.
Friar Giulio CESAREO
