San Filipo di Benizi

Lots of priests!

Today was San Filipo's feast day, and what a wonderful afternoon it was!  It started with a brass band and a horseman dressed in medieval wear galloping into the piazza on his charger, which was also decked out.  In the fairly disorganized fashion that characterizes these events, there was also a good bit of standing around while the band decided which piece to play next, etc.

However, while we were waiting, we could enjoy seeing the priests, the carabinieri, the polizzi, and the bishop.  Eventually, the mayor showed up sporting a sash of red, white, and green.  At that point, the band attempted to turn into marching formation, and at some point all the members were in fact ready to march in the same direction.  After that, everyone got into the parade, and we went down the hill to the church of San Filipo di Benizi.

The archbishop

The mayor with the archbishop

Getting into formation

The parade is starting!

Here come the dignitaries

The end of the official group --
and along we come with the rest
of the hoi polloi

The street was decked out in yellow & white banners, and there were many spectators (which was great, since there weren't a ton of us in the parade itself!) on the sides of the road, and waving from balconies.  When we arrived at the piazza outside of the church, many more people had sprouted from nowhere, and we all crowded inside.  The place was packed to the gills, with babies, strollers, old people, a really young married couple in front of us, and so on!

I love this entryway! It's at an angle to the street.

We enjoyed a full mass with the archbishop (who had not learned the critical lesson of keeping the homily short on a hot day in a crowded church), including incense.  And then -- the part I was excited about (the benediction of the kids) was sadly lacking in the pomp & circumstance that I had craved.  Although, interestingly enough, one of the hymns we sang consisted of religious words set to that tune. In any case, the archbishop merely pronounced a short blessing and we were dismissed.

Jeremy often insinuates himself into the band.

Upon emerging from the church, we were greeted with the band (newly organized and going strongly), and the shrill sound of the multitude of metal whistles someone had been handing out to the kids or the kids at heart.  Rather penetrating, but certainly a joyful noise!

After hanging out for a while, the kids assessed that there weren't enough others their age at the event, so we decided to have dinner at home instead of partaking in the meal that was available there (it looked as though it would be highly entertaining, though -- they may have been setting up for karaoke, but I wasn't sure) in the church yard off of a back alley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Benizi_de_Damiani

The band from above

James & I are having an early evening, but the others are out carousing at a concert in the piazza.  I went out to take a few shots to give you a flavor.  Tonight's concert is bluesy.

The piazza is quite full

People always sit on the Duomo's steps!

Love,

Alexandra