Teramo and Acireale hold major religious ceremonies celebrating local traditions

On July 1, the city of Teramo staged its traditional Blessing of Civil and Military Vehicles in the square before the Madonna delle Grazie sanctuary. The event, organized by the Automobile Club Teramo, featured a procession of civilian and military vehicles together with police, fire fighters, civil‑protection crews and volunteer groups. It was presented as a way to honour road‑safety efforts, remember traffic victims and thank public‑service personnel. ACI president Carmine Cellinese said the ceremony “is more than a religious ceremony; it tells the identity of our community, recalls the victims of the road and renews our daily commitment to safety.”

A week earlier, on June 21, the parish of Maria Ss. di Loreto in Acireale celebrated the centenary of the Madonna di Loreto statue, a gift from Bishop Fernando Cento to the diocese. The commemoration began with a solemn Mass presided over by the vicar general, followed by speeches from Bishop Antonino Raspanti, parish priest Don Rosario Gulisano and historian Giovanni Mammino, who highlighted the bishop’s lasting bond with the community. A live video link connected participants with Pollenza, the statue’s place of origin, and a reenacted procession recalled the original 1920 arrival of the statue in Acireale.