The Dominican José Manuel Alcácer, responsible for delivering the homily in Valencian, pointed out that, like Saint Vincent, today we face a changing era marked by human self-exaltation, seeking to recreate itself in its own image and likeness, a phenomenon now known as Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The service was attended by the Archbishop of Valencia, Enrique Benavent, the Bishop Emeritus of Valencia, Javier Salinas, the Bishop Emeritus of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, the Valencian Agustín Cortés, the Metropolitan Chapter, and the Order of Preachers. Numerous organizations and entities linked to the figure of Saint Vincent Ferrer also attended, such as the Junta Central Vicentina, the Honorable Clavariesa, the Order of Knight Jurors of Saint Vincent, and the Imperial College of Orphaned Children.
Among the institutional representation, led by the mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, and members of the City Council, the Minister of Culture, and the Lieutenant General, military and civil authorities also joined, as reported by the Archdiocese in a statement.
“"There is a coincidence because we face a change of era characterized by a self-exaltation of man who begins to believe that he will be able to recreate himself in his own image and likeness, the one he himself has created, what is now called AI, artificial intelligence, where the 'you will be like God' from Genesis resonates, believing that this will be the first step of many others for this desire to become a reality with full autonomy."
Alcácer highlighted that the first consequence of this "deification" is the de-Christianization of countries with Christian roots, such as Europe, now forgetting that the drama of the human being is to be everything and nothing at the same time. He drew a parallel between Saint Vincent, apostle of Europe in a time of profound changes, and our era, pointing to holiness and evangelical preaching as a path to face them.
The Dominican friar recalled that Saint Vincent preached in a Christian Europe with the hope of a new world, preparing the people for the coming of the Lord. He concluded that this is the task of the Church and of any Christian, without faltering in the ministry of preaching Jesus Christ.
The celebration concluded with a civic procession from the City Council to the saint's birthplace, with a flower offering in Tetuan Square. In the afternoon, a general procession was held with stations at places linked to the saint, such as his birthplace, the Church of Santo Domingo, and the parish of San Esteban.
