"It is a beautiful coincidence that the date of beatification of Pope Luciani has been announced at the same time when Pope Francis spoke of humility, both at the general audience and then in the Roman curia".With these words, Don Davide Fiocco, collaborator of the cause of beatification of John Paul I and director of the Pope Luciani Center of Santa Giustina, speaks from the diocese of Belluno -Feltre who has one of his most illustrious children in Albino Luciani.The news that the "Pope of the Smile", a pontiff for only 33 days between August and September 1978, will be beatified on September 4, 2022 by Francisco in San Pedro, has reached a region of the Veneto where the pandemic has returnedto cause fear, but satisfaction among the faithful is great.

Collaborator in the "positio" writing for beatification

Don Davide, born 53 years ago in Canale D’A Agordo, the same town of Las Dolomitas de Belluno who saw Albino Luciani, on October 17, 1912, is also director of the Social Communication Office of the Diocese.Since 2012, he has attended the VicePostulator Stefania Falasca, writer and journalist of "AvyARE", in the writing of the positio super virtutibus (more than 3600 pages) delivered to the congregation for the causes of the saints in October 2016.

?Pope Luciani will be beatified on September 4 of next year, 44 years and one day after the start of his pontificate.Do you think that is why the date was chosen?

I imagine.It is a beautiful circumstance, a coincidence that I certainly like.I can also say that I have a personal memory of that day, when I was a nine -year -old boy, because I was present at the Plaza de San Pedro that afternoon of September 3, 1978.I remember the impression of a catapulted child between 200.000 people in that square, which was something really incredible and very strange that has remained in my memory.

But much stronger is the memory of the audience that granted to the people of Belluno in the morning in the Blessings Room.We were two thousand people and see this man, whom we most or less knew, dressed in white.It caused us a great impression, especially the elderly who had met him as Don Albino and saw him as Juan Pablo I.That is why I still rely the words he said, passing among those present, greeting them one by one.It was his style, and with us, from Belluno, he really tried to be a villager, and he went, and we felt it.

?What has caused the news of the beatification date?Are pilgrimages and prayer trips in Belluno prepare?

At the moment, it is not possible.As the news reports, the Veneto is a bit scrambled, this wave of pandemic presses us, so we are still very cautious.The reaction of the people, the media and the groups of faithful of the peoples has undoubtedly been of satisfaction and joy: we are happy that one of our compatriots rises to the altars.

?Pope Francis, who will be beatified on the first Sunday of September, has spoken in the last days of humility as the great Christmas lesson.Another analogy between his ministry and that of Pope John Paul I?

It is a coincidence that the announcement of the date of beatification has arrived practically at the same time that Pope Francis spoke at the general audience, and then also to the Roman curia, about humility.

Humility is one of Pope Luciani's great teachings, he also talked about her in the Plaza de San Pedro at the audience of September 6, 1978, reflecting precisely on humility, a topic that runs through all his teaching, even as bishop.The image that he used is often that of the Burrito de Jerusalem, which, although he took our Lord, could not certainly consider that people's applause were for him.So this teaching of Luciani remains in history, I think, as its specific virtue.

?Francisco's decision to convene a synod on the Synod Church this year, is it also in the direction of that episcopal collegiality so loved by Pope John Paul I?

Certainly, things are connected.The only intervention made by Monsignor Luciani at the Council was precisely in support of the doctrine of episcopal collegiality.Doctrine that had its laborious reception both in the conciliar documents and in the post -contest.Pope Luciani was convinced of it and supported him.And, among other things, he participated in three synods as a synodal father, then intervening, in the press, in defense of this choice that Paul VI had made, of which we still feel the prophetic charism.

(Vatican News)

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