Taranto, the Cataldus silver award also goes to the singer-songwriter Mariella Nava

TARANTO - The Italian Red Cross - Taranto Committee, the director of Rai Day Time, Angelo Mellone, the president of Confcommercio Taranto, Leonardo Giangrande and the singer-songwriter from Taranto Mariella Nava are the winners of this year's Cataldus d'argento award. The award is given by the celebrations committee and the Chamber of Commerce to Taranto citizens who have distinguished themselves in various areas of social life. The award ceremony took place yesterday evening in the Basilica of San Cataldo as per tradition for the celebrations of the patron saint. Mellone was awarded the Cataldus for professional activities, while the award for voluntary activities went to the Red Cross. Giangrande received the recognition for entrepreneurial activities and, finally, Mariella Nava for cultural activities.

Today is the last day of the celebrations in honor of San Cataldo. The day begins at 11 with the ceremony of the Invenctio corporis Sancti Cataldi. It is a sort of return to the origins, which celebrates the discovery of the body of the saint in the area of ​​the cathedral baptistery on May 10, 1071. The story goes that it was some bricklayers who found the remains of the saint and for this reason three workers from construction companies will offer the candle and incense and carry in procession from the baptistery to the chapel the golden cross that allowed the identification of the bishop from Ireland, which will then be exposed for public veneration.

At 5:00 pm the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Archbishop Miniero, for the renewal of obedience by the parish priests and leaders of the various ecclesial realities. At the end, the procession will wind through the streets of the old city starting from Via Duomo up to Borgo, accompanied by all the confraternities, the Lemma band and the Santa Cecilia wind orchestra. In Piazza della Vittoria there will be the usual stop for the address by Archbishop Miniero from the balcony of the Carmine church. Immediately after the markets on the seafront and the concert by Patrizia Conte, accompanied by the Jazz Studio Orchestra conducted by Maestro Paolo Lepore, at 8:30 pm in Piazza Castello, to end with the fireworks display.

On the occasion of the celebrations, from 4 pm today until 1 am tomorrow, free parking areas will be available at the former Torpediniere Station and the Mezzacapo Barracks. To make the procession possible, urban transport will undergo changes to its route, to find out about them just consult the website www.kymamobilita.i.

For residents and those who want to reach the procession by car, it is necessary to know that the Borgo Umbertino is affected by parking restrictions to allow the events to take place. The Municipality has arranged a temporary exemption for residents and parking subscribers in zones A and sub-zone A. Today, free parking will also be permitted in zone B, so as to reduce the inconvenience related to the temporary limitation of parking spaces in the most central area.