A Feast Day, for a Change

Today was the feast of the Immaculate Conception!  It started with the market (sparsely provided with shops; our favorite fruit & veg woman and the live animal man weren't there -- and they're ALWAYS there), then a Scout Mass at Crocefisso, presided by Don Ricardo.  James & I did the shopping while the Scouts were preparing for the Mass.

After Mass, Florence, James, and I walked up via Consolazione...there's a really nice market at the base of the hill there.  It included ceramicists from Deruta (think Majolica ware), candy (James was happy, and patronized that stall), original artists, an antiques dealer, local farm products, some schlock (of the handcrafted variety, though -- not of the "Made in China by the 10s of millions" variety), bakers, etc.  Small, but very nice.

Later in the afternoon, we had an event (undetermined) at Consolazione -- the choir was to report at 4:15.  Turned out to be a concert that we were giving!  There were about 150 people in the audience (it's a good thing when the audience outnumbers the performers).  Directly after the concert, we started vespers! I don't know that I've ever really attended a vespers-- or at least not one like this.  We sang psalms, had a very short meditative reading (not from the Bible) and a word from the presider, more psalms, and then a benediction.  They handed out lovely pamphlets/programs for the vespers...and then started singing things that weren't on the program.  So funny!

Side note: In the States, we often joke about "Immaculate Conception" indicating that conjugal relations did not take place (in a reference to the way in which Mary conceived Jesus).  However, that is not a correct interpretation of the phrase (although understandable): Immaculate Conception is the Catholic dogma that was adopted very recently (I was surprised to find out how recently -- 1854, although the belief has been widely held since antiquity) and states that Mary was created in her mother's womb without the original sin that has marked the rest of us since the time of Adam & Eve.  For more information, click here.

Love,

Alexandra