interreg iii b archimed - Città di Reggio Calabria

“MEDMISSION” - INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
COOPERATION PROJECT OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF REGGIO CALABRIA
MEDITERRANEAN CITY
ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Premise
Following St. Paul’s trail, the “MEDMISSION” project –
community programme INTERREG III B ARCHIMED - the city
of Reggio Calabria is joining in as a partner - proposes the
institution of a network of Mediterranean cities-stations visited by
the apostle Paul during his missionary journey; the project aims at
the protection, promotion and valorisation of cities’ common
cultural heritage.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Overall Aim
The overall aim of the project can be synthesised in
the development of a sustainable network taking
advantage of ITC technologies and exporting
synergies among the local key sectors in the
Mediterranean area.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Specific Aims
Establishment of informative monuments in the places-stations of the path (isles).
Creation of a cultural network and promotion of the group activity
(meetings, workshops, seminars and festivals).
Pilot improvement of ITC tools for the safeguard and the emphasis of the
Apostle St. Paul’s heritage in the area ( DVD, websites ,
e-learning platforms, study contents and “simulation” games).
Establishment of the “product”/ “brand” of the “path“ in terms of
tourism and culture, as well as the general promotion of the activities of the
“path”.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Activities
 Scientific
research and documentation of the missionary path of the Apostle Paul
in the Mediterranean basin.
Spread of basic knowledge in schools, universities and research institutes thanks
to ITC instruments.
Advertising and promotional material.
 Carry out – valorisation of the studies: to determine a common strategy of the
network concerning the exploitation of the “brand” in other cities/stations and
other fields.
 meeting groups about the importance of a network and of the cultural protection
of the area.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
THE NETWORK
Thessaloniki
Reggio Calabria
Temi Zammit
Foundation
Lesvos
Rhodes
Prefecture of the Dodecanese
Pafos
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Prefecture of the Dodecanese ( Lead Leader )
It is a local governmental body made up of 15 islands
in the south-east area of the Aegean Sea. The
prefecture of the Dodecaneso is featured by a wide
range of cultural resources.
Municipality of Reggio Calabria (Partner)
A huge number of activities has been started up with the
aim of having an impact on the economic device of the
city by means of informative and communication
campaigns regarding development opportunities for young
entrepreneurs.
Metropolis of Rhodes (Partner)
Rhodes is working in cooperation with the
ecclesiastic agency RNN. Though their website, they
offer visitors the opportunity to access Orthodox
websites, ecclesiastic radio stations, e-libraries.
Municipality of Pafos (Partner)
The Strategic Plan of the Municipality of Pafos
focuses on the promotion and the safeguard of the
local heritage and the repositioning of the local
products.
Temi Zammit Foundation (Partner)
It is a no-profit foundation committed to “the
supply of research, education and support
services” to the Maltese community.
“Ministry of Aegean and Insular Policy”(Partner)
Established in1985 by the Hellenic Parliament, it is also
responsible for the organisation of the “Aegean Theatre
Festival”, a Cinema international meeting.
Prefecture of Lesvos (Partner)
The prefecture of Lesvos increased the number of
projects related to information on local society and
development.
Metropolis of Thessaloniki (Partner)
It acts as an administrative and spiritual body for all the
churches and for many cultural institutions belonging to
its territory.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
ACTIVITY TIMETABLE
30/06/2007 : Establishment of 5 informative monuments in Rhodes : Kos,
Lesvos, Reggio, Pafos , and one concerning arts in Malta .
15/09/2007 : 4 meetings of the network (Mitilini , Pafos, Reggio , Malta)
1°festival in Rhodes .
30/09/2007: Seminars for the protagonists of the tourist industry.
31/12/2007: Creation of a multilingual website giving information on the
Apostle Paul’s path.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Study of the City of Reggio Calabria
on the Apostle St. Paul’s life and journeys
by an historical and scientific point of view
The Municipality of Reggio Calabria has a population of about 180.000
inhabitants.
The city enjoys a Mediterranean climate and the most common products of the
area are olive and lemon trees, beech, wheat, oats, maize etc., and two
particular plants that only grow up in this area: jasmine and bergamot.
In the promotional structure of the city, a huge number of activities has been
started up with the aim of having an impact on the economic device of the city
by means of informative and communicative campaigns concerning development
opportunities for young entrepreneurs, tourist systems and promotion of
activities for cultural exchange.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Study of the City of Reggio Calabria
on the Apostle St. Paul’s life and journeys
by an historical and scientific point of view
Advertising campaigns, exhibitions, the production of promotional videos and
significant cultural and national events are frequently held in order to
relaunch the city as “Mediterranean City” in international tourism, and they
suggest tourists the best way to enjoy the cultural opportunities the city
offers all the year long. One of the most important resources of the city is the
deseasonalisation of tourism and the creation of an economic and productive
activity basis including small and large facilitations allowing to employ
young generations and to discover the historical heritage and the natural
attractions of the city. The history, the artistic heritage and the real
conversion of the City to Christianity are strictly connected to the history of
St. Paul.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
THE LEGEND OF THE COLUMN
The piece of column
kept in the
Cathedral.
The Legend of the Column of St Paul tells the origins of Christianity
in Reggio Calabria and in Calabria. The Church of Reggio has its
origins in the preaching of the apostle Paul who landed in the city
coming from Syracuse “We made a circuit and arrived at Rhe'gium" as
written in the Acts of the Apostles (28, 13). He was embarked on a
roman ship as a prisoner, around 61 AD. Once left Syracuse, it was
determined to stop at Reggio which was a visible place from the sea
because of its high walls and its imposing buildings. St Paul thus
landed in the city hoping to evangelise the citizenship and to
undertake his mission. The legend tells that during his missionary
journeys St. Paul stopped in Reggio Calabria. The Apostle Paul
walked through the people gathering in the Temple of Diana; he
started then to pray, astonishing all the present people.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
THE LEGEND OF THE COLUMN
The piece of column
kept in the
Cathedral.
The priests tried to silence him, but Paul asked them to let him talk
until a candle burned and they accepted. The candle was positioned
on a column and Paul started to preach. His words were so quick
that the people were captured and nobody noticed that time was
running out. Once the candle extinguished the whole column started
to burn lighting up the face of the apostle. It astonished the crowd
that started listening to the apostle’s speech with a high reverence.
From that night on the heart of the inhabitants was touched by the
divine message and the city was the first being converted to
Christianity. In the Cathedral of Reggio Calabria the burnt column
can still be visited; on the top of it a piece of wood is placed, getting
out of the furnace to recall the event.
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
PICTURES
St Paul
Extasys of St Paul
The Conversion of St. Paul
“MEDMISSION”
INTERREG III B ARCHIMED
Churches dedicated to St. Paul
San Paolo Apostolo
Sanctuary
“San Paolo alla Rotonda”
in Reggio Calabria
Cathedral of Reggio