João: "Regardless of my position, I will always have love for Aracaju"
In commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the capital of Sergipe, the mayor of Aracaju, João Alves Filho, and the vice-mayor, José Carlos Machado, participated in the traditional Thanksgiving Mass for the city's anniversary. Speaking to the press, João declared his deep love for the capital: "My mother brought me to Mass with great love. Later, I grew up here in the neighborhood, I have a deep love for my city, but a very special feeling for Santo Antônio, because it was here that I grew up, learned the ways of life, and learned to love Aracaju. This great feeling was passed on to me by my late father, the builder João Alves; he was a man who had a deep love for this land," he recounted.
PMA - In commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the capital of Sergipe, the mayor of Aracaju, João Alves Filho, and the vice-mayor, José Carlos Machado, participated in the traditional Thanksgiving Mass for the city's anniversary. The celebration took place this Tuesday, the 17th, at the Church of Santo Antônio, where the city began to develop. Many faithful and authorities participated in the Mass, officiated by the Archbishop of Aracaju, Dom Palmeira Lessa.
During the mass, João Alves Filho read a passage from the Bible and, alongside his deputy José Carlos Machado, in a demonstration of gratitude for graces received, they brought the offertory to the altar. Deeply moved by the celebration of the mass, the mayor recalled the times when he attended mass with his mother, Maria de Lourdes.
"My mother brought me to mass with great love. Later, I grew up here in the neighborhood, I have a deep love for my city, but a very special feeling for Santo Antônio, because it was here that I grew up, learned the ways of life and learned to love Aracaju. This great feeling was passed on to me by my old father, the builder João Alves, he was a man who had a deep love for this land. Something that moves me is that before I learned to read, he took me to the outskirts of Aracaju so that I could see his small works and develop a taste for the engineering profession. This is one of the reasons that makes me have a deep love for this city and for my fellow citizens. Regardless of public office, as long as I live, I will always have this love and willingness to fight for my city," he affirms.
The deputy mayor, José Carlos Machado, recalled the city's development and João Alves Filho's contribution to it. "We heard many people saying that the city's growth was unfeasible because it grew southward and encroached on those mangrove areas. Over time, and with a lot of hard work, João dismantled that old concept and built great avenues. Today we find problems that other leaders couldn't solve during the city's growth. What reassures me is the awareness that we, who are involved in public administration, have all our capacity and talent focused on finding solutions to improve the quality of life for our people," he emphasized.
The Archbishop of Aracaju, Dom José Palmeira Lessa, said that in these 160 years God has acted through men for the betterment of the city. "On one hand, we have the benevolent action of God and so many accomplishments, so many services rendered; on the other hand, the contribution of so many men, some more than others. We can only thank God and ask Him to show us other new men, prepared for service to the community, to the common good of the people. Be it in situations of pain, hunger, or suffering, may He open in the hearts of men this commitment to the community," he declared.
The Municipal Secretary of Communication, Carlos Batalha, explained that the City Hall of Aracaju, at the direction of Mayor João Alves, spared no effort in bringing a whole month of celebrations for Aracaju's anniversary. "The festivities are happening, like the show last Sunday at the central market. But what's most important for the population are the actions that the City Hall is carrying out, almost daily, with inaugurations and launches. So, it's 160 years of much brilliance and much love, and I leave our message of congratulations to all the people of Aracaju," he emphasizes.