Celestine V

Saturday night band, Allerija...gypsy rock. Really go

Sunday August 19

Long ago in a fairy tale land of lonely hilltop castles, rugged mountains, extreme holiness, extreme debauchery and desperately beautiful princesses their lived a holy man named Pietro Angeleri. In 1241 he founded an abby in the area around Sulmona. He completed the chapel dedicated to Santa Maria del Morrone and led an aesthetic life. Not too long after, the cardinals in Roma were fighting over who should be the next pope. This fight went on and on.

Pope to be enjoys a water bottle.

Finally, in disgust, Pietro wrote them a letter telling them to select a pope and get on with it. They sent a letter back making him the pope. He accepted, but the Vatican was not his idea of a holy experience. He abdicated and returned to Abbey St. Meorronese and moved even further up the mountain and became a hermit.

Bringing the news

On August 19, 2012 and every year, the news of his becoming pope and his trip to Roma are celebrated through towns all a long the route. Runners carry the torch between towns and then each town has a group of people in medieval dress to accompany the runners to the church where the fire is transferred to a large bowl. The next town is waiting to accept the torch. Castelvecchio is the half way point between Sulmona and l’Aquila and the fire remained here over night. Pietro became Pope Celestine V. The abbey is on my list of places to go when we have a car. 

I am afraid I was a little too excited in the midst of a serious religious event, but it was amazing.

Pope's banners

They processed right below our balcony and then we took the short cut to town so we could see them there. We only found out about it around noon on the same day. Everything but the internet seems to appear out of thin air. Last year we left Italy on August 16. We are now in uncharted time.

Horses at the church

Torch arrives at the church

I manage to upgrade my look, if you don't look at my feet.

Shoes of the day

Monday August 20

My class went well again. People are happy. I did a demo. We painted in the village of Gagliano and then in the afternoon we painted a landscape looking over the Subequo Valley. It was a hot day, surprise, but the breeze under the trees was really nice.

Tonight is the festivale of San Agatha. Venders and a stage are being set up by the fountain across the street from us. I think there is going to be a rock and roll duo, which I am sure she would have appreciated. I think there were masses all day in her honor. This is the civil celebration.