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Friday 8 August 2014

San Salvatore

Yesterday was San Salvatore, the patron saint of the village of Nerano which is where I live.
So after work when I drove up to the bend where I usually park my little old Fiat, the one available space was taken up by a table covered in a pristine linen table cloth.
From the village down the hill I could hear the local brass band warming up. 
I beat a hasty retreat home- the dogs were already in a state of agitation, knowing full well what was to come.
The church bells started chiming, the older and more experienced dog started barking, its hackles rising, and a mighty great explosion ripped the air.The puppy cowered behind my legs.
The procession set off, band, priest, villagers and the statue of St Salvatore on its annual outing. You could here the chanting getting nearer and nearer as they all wound their way up the path  and up the hill towards my house, stopping every now and then for a prayer and a blessing. 
Out onto the main road, stopping at the table on the bend for another quick blessing, before wending their way back down to the village, blocking the traffic of the August holiday-makers on their way up from the beach. More big bangs before retiring to the church for Mass. Peace. Temporary. Then a cacophony of bells, brass music and more big bangs, this time an entire series of window rattling bangs, before the evening's festivities could begin in earnest. 
This morning it was all very quiet.



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