Last Saturday, 5 November, at the Cistercian Abbey of Morimondo (MI), which overlooks the woods of the Ticino river valley, a Holy Mass was celebrated in honor of the patron saint of hunters, Sant'Uberto.
The religious event, promoted by the Department of Hunting and Fishing of the Province of Milan, in collaboration with the Italian Delegation of the CIC (International Council for Hunting and Safeguarding the Fauna), was accompanied by the musical group of the hunting horns of Lana (BZ) whose powerful sound resounded under the majestic vaults of the ancient building , attracting many hunters, with their families and friends, who thus attended an undoubtedly suggestive function.
In his homily, the parish priest, Don Mauro Loi, dwelt extensively on the figure of the hunter, on his relationship with friends and hunting companions, on his relationship with the nature he frequents. While modern hunting has obviously lost the meanings linked to food needs, it has on the other hand preserved all the other elements of higher symbolic value: a cultural value clearly evoked by the commemoration of St. Hubert, whose conversion in the course of a hunting expedition, triggered by the appearance of a deer with a crucifix between the boxes (resuming the previous Latin story of Sant'Eustachio), has gone down in history and not only in the Church.
At the end of the celebration and at its seal, the Hunter's Prayer was read, which has enjoyed ecclesiastical approval since 1991. During the Offertory, in addition to the Bread and Wine to be consecrated, the hunters brought to the altar the typical fruits of the autumn period, that is mushrooms and chestnuts together with the land of our woods.
The Provincial Councilor for Hunting in Milan, Luca Agnelli, who participated in the Eucharistic celebration, said: "Hunting doesn't just mean full game bags. Hunting is first of all tradition and identity. Even with the Mass of St. Hubert we claim the pride of belonging to a category that has always been committed to the custody of the territory and its deepest values. The passion for hunting brings us together, makes us one family, the great family of Milanese hunters ”.
At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the participants were able to meet for a toast of friendship in the cloister of the Abbey where the Alpini of the Abbiategrasso Group have set up a rich refreshment point.
Among the authorities present, the Mayor of Morimondo, Marco Natale Marelli, the Head of the Provincial Wildlife Service Carmelo Miceli, the presidents of the ATC 1 East and 2 West, Gianraffaele Congiunti and Graziano Barbaglia and the Presidents, or their representatives, of the main hunting associations of the province, including Rodolfo Grassi of the FIdC, Salvatore Conti of the ANLC, Giuseppe Cricelli of Italcaccia, Daniele Scolfaro of the ANUUMigrators.
For CIC Italia, the Secretary General Dr. Massimo Marracci was present, also representing the Head of Delegation Avv. Giovanni Bana and among the organizers of the sacred event and some members of the delegation including Valentino Sanvito, Francesco Gioia and Luigi Checchi.
November, 2011 CIC Italy