As every year, the national gathering of Sri Lankans in Italy took place in Padua at the Basilica of Saint Anthony on May 1st, feast of St. Josephe the Worker. This year was the twenty-sixth national gathering which saw the participation of over fifteen thousand Sri Lankans from all over Italy.

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Thousands of Catholic and non-Catholic Sri Lankans participate to this national event to pay tribute and thank Saint Anthony for the many graces received.

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The solemn thanksgiving Eucharist which took place in Sinhalese and Tamil was presided over by His Lordship Bishop Valence Mendis, the bishop of Kandy and concelebrated by Rt Rev. Msgr. Pier Paolo Felicolo, national director for migrants of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, by Rt Rev. Msgr. Neville Joe Perera, national coordinator for the pastoral care of Sri Lankans in Italy and the over 25 Sri Lankan chaplains who serves throughout Italy.

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Every year under the supervision of the national coordinator, the organization of the Holy Mass is entrusted to a community; this year it was the turn of the Sri Lankan community of Florence led by Fr Shiran Dassa.

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During the homily the bishop asked the faithful to pray for Sri Lanka, a very beautiful nation, rich in culture and hospitality but now suffering due to years of bad governance which have caused various economic crises.

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In his thanksgiving speech, Msgr. Neville Joe Perera thanked Very Rev. Fr. Antonio Ramina, rector of the basilica, the friars of the sanctuary, Caritas Antoniana and the Italian Bishops’ Conference for their continued support to Sri Lanka.

The pilgrimage to the basilica of St. Anthony was a vision by Msgr. Neville Joe Perera to gather srilankans living and working in various parts of Italy and firstly initiated on May 1, 1998, and continues to date under the leadership of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.

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Celebrations continued at the Prato della Valle park where the faithful were able to meet friends and relatives who live in other parts of Italy.

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