The penultimate weekend of November was a very intense one, as we celebrated Seminary Day. In our diocese, this event coincides with the Solemnity of Christ the King, which was celebrated on Sunday, November 24th. For the occasion, we organised a guided tour of the Monastery of Santa Maria Teodote, the current home of our seminary, in the afternoon. The aim was to present to anyone who wished not only the historical and artistic heritage we preserve here, but also the living reality of the Seminary, made up of a concrete community of people.
We were truly surprised by the large number of friends who accepted our invitation, certainly many more than we would have expected. The Aula Magna gradually filled almost completely, with over a hundred people in attendance. After the rector's greeting and a historical introduction, the tour explored the former monastery's most significant spaces: the chapel of the Most Holy Saviour, the cloister, the refectory, the chapter house, and the church. The library's "Sala Segù" was also open to visitors, housing the oldest texts in our possession (manuscripts, incunabula, and 16th-century editions), as well as a copy of "The Betrothed," autographed by Manzoni. The afternoon concluded with a snack of pandoro and panettone, already almost Christmassy in spirit. We received a tremendous amount of enthusiastic feedback, especially from those who had never passed through our doors and had no idea it held so many artistic treasures. Several friends also expressed their intention to stay in touch for future cultural events, and some even offered to organise future guided tours. In short, it was not only a highly successful initiative, but also, above all, a valuable opportunity to truly connect with many different people about our community.
Further opportunities for us to meet that weekend included the Masses celebrated on Saturday and Sunday with the parish community of the Holy Family and the Vigil for the Diocesan World Youth Day, which took place on Saturday evening, November 23, in the Cathedral. This moment was shared with many young people from across the diocese, with whom we first gathered in the bishop's residence for an aperitif and then headed towards the entrance of the Cathedral, invited to journey towards the Holy Door of the approaching Jubilee. At the entrance to our mother church, we were invited to reflect on the thresholds each of us has crossed or is called to cross. Finally, in the crypt, we experienced an intense moment of Eucharistic adoration, with the opportunity to confess.
Reflecting on those days filled with so many encounters, we take this opportunity to thank everyone for the outreach and prayer activities that took place in various parishes for Seminary Day, which once again made us feel the closeness and affection of the entire Church of Pavia.
We thank Luca Preziosi for the photos of this event.
Photo gallery
