Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
ACIREALE – Five years after his passing on April 30, 2021, the diocese of Acireale came together in a collective embrace to welcome back the mortal remains of Bishop Pio Vittorio Vigo, the tenth bishop of the Acesian Church and a beloved figure among the clergy and local communities.
Today, a solemn ceremony of translation and final entombment of his remains took place in the Cathedral, within the new Bishops’ Funerary Chapel. Bishop Vigo is the first prelate to be received and preserved in this new sacred space of prayer and remembrance, created inside the walls of the Duomo.
“His kindness lives on in our memory”: Bishop Raspanti’s tribute
The ceremony, which included the Liturgy of the Word and the final rite of entombment, was presided over by the current Bishop of Acireale, Bishop Antonino Raspanti, in the presence of Bishops Giuseppe Sciacca, Salvatore Gristina and Salvatore Pappalardo, as well as the late bishop’s family and a large delegation from the diocesan presbyterium.
“We have reached the final act of this journey, in the place where Bishop Vigo was both son and father, where he lived and gave so much of himself,” Bishop Raspanti declared during his address. “His kindness, his fraternal and sincere dialogue, and his role as a pastor serving others live on in our memory. His rich poetic and spiritual output continues to bear witness to the depth of his human experience, sowing gratitude and consolation even today.”
A spiritual and cultural reference point for the community
Born in Acireale on November 4, 1935, Bishop Pio Vittorio Vigo led the diocese from 2002 to 2011 (after also serving as Archbishop of Monreale) and left an indelible mark thanks to his extraordinary spiritual stature, his kind heart, his gentleness and his literary sensitivity, which characterized his writings and sacred poetry.
With today’s translation, the remains of the beloved pastor now rest forever inside the Cathedral Basilica, beside the episcopal chair he served and loved throughout his fruitful ministry.
