"Whoever enters the church of San Sebastiano in Milis from Wednesday the 18th to Wednesday the 25th will receive a plenary indulgence." Father Antonello Angioni announced that Pope Leo will grant the indulgence upon the church's reopening after restoration work.

"For us and our community, it was truly an exceptional gift," commented the young priest, who has led the parishes of Milis and Narbolia for four years. An unexpected surprise arrived a few days ago when Don Antonello flew to the Vatican for a moment of prayer and, more importantly, to meet the Pontiff. "Pope Leo XIV listened with interest and even blessed the door of the parish's new tabernacle," he recounted. "It was a great emotion and an honor for our town."

In the small town, anticipation is building for the completion of the construction site and for Wednesday the 18th, when a concelebration will be held at 5:30 pm, presided over by Archbishop Roberto Carboni, for the dedication of the church and the consecration of the altar. "The dedication is a rare rite because it takes place for the inauguration of the church," explains Father Antonello. "It has never been performed in the parish of San Sebastiano, so we are taking care of it on this occasion."

And it's a very important event because the work, which began on January 6th, is restoring a church with a completely renovated appearance, yet using the original, ancient materials. Significant work has been done both inside (funded by the parish) and outside (with regional and municipal contributions). "The flooring and altar have been redone, the holy water stoups have been upgraded, and the baptismal font will be relocated at the entrance. The tabernacle chapel has also been restored using the ancient marble that had been removed during a previous renovation." Now, those materials have returned to their proper place in the late 16th-century church. "The rose window on the façade has also been redone," he adds. "I'm truly satisfied. Since I arrived in this community, one of my goals has been to restore a beautiful church to the people of Milesi."

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