Abruzzo News: 28 December 1999

A silver cross with gold engravings, the work of masters from Guardiagrele, taken away by the Italian Art Superintendency for restoration, has never been returned. Religion art objects belong to the community, says don Evaristo Angelini, the parish priest of Villavallelonga, since they were aimed at leading the faithful to the church as symbols of spiritual beauty.

The young musicians of the Orchestra Giovanile Abruzzese and the singers of the Barattelli Coro di Voci Bianche will perform together at 18.30 in the Cattedrale di San Massimo, with a program of «folk» and religious hymns. The orchestra is made of the young students of the Musical Conservatories in Abruzzo, directed by maestro Marcello Bufalini, while the choir, prepared by Stefano Baiocco and Rosalinda Di Marco, will be accompanied by soprano Carla Laudi.

Two thousand years after Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth, another group of craftsmen celebrate Jesus birth carving in Maiella stone Joseph, Mary, Jesus and shepherds: 15 statues in all with a height of 30 cm, on show inside a local in piazza Umberto I, Lettomanoppello. Here are the authors: Gennaro D'Alfonso for the Child, Sandro Aceto for St. Joseph, Petronio for Mary, Gianluca for the shepherd, Ada Del Ponte for the zampognaro.

WWF International has chosen the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo as a model of perfect integration for conservation, ecotourism and culture. This encouraged the park Administration to stage a series of important events for the coming week: on Sunday, 2 january inauguration in Pizzone (Region Molise) of the Centro Orso (Bear Centre) and of a new office in Mainarde, while in Villetta Barrea an exhibition has been staged on the "Pan-Parks", a network of European Parks.