147. Rugolo by Night
St George’s: The Church of Rugolo
The Statue is carried shoulder high by the green clad Alpines of Montaner
It was a cold, blistering night, the worst that March had yet to offer when the people of Montaner gathered in procession to take the statue to the next village, Rugolo.
The Orthodox church can be seen in the background, founded by a group of dissidents who, at the death of their Parish Priest in 1966 objected to the nomination by the then Bishop, of a priest not of their own choosing. The Bishop they rebelled against was none other than Albino Luciani who was to become Pope John Paul I and would reign only for a month.
Leaving St Barbara, the church of Montaner and making way downhill.
It wasn’t extremely dark yet, but the strength of the hue of azure was deep and the lights of the villages below can be seen flickering on the right.
The strength of the wind seems to blur the faces of the people.
In this country you can’t go far without bumping into a sign of Christianity, the church on the left, dedicated to Our Lady stands upon a hill between the two villages.
The people from Rugolo gathered on the border between the two villages waiting for the handover of the statue.
The statue has been handed over to the red checked shirt clad Alpines of Rugolo and Sarmede.
The procession continues down the many curves of the hillside.
Brushing past the rugged stone walls of the center.
Entering the stony gateway of the Church of Rugolo.
Settling the statue near the altar, but it’s going to be a tight squeeze.
It’s pretty crowded on the altar.
It’s a tight squeeze for everyone- many have to remain outside.
However, the atmosphere seems cheerful enough.
The photographer from Montaner is here too.
The time for thought.
The Mayor, who is from Montaner himself, hands a scroll to the Franciscan Father, the Custodian of the Statue.
And the time has come to go home.
But first one last photo, please!
By the look on their faces, it seems they would be glad to do it all over again.
Church and State have never gone together so well before- I wonder what was in that scroll!
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