286. Living: People Do What They Have to Do
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| Cappella Maggiore: Our Lady of the Rosary procession |
I don’t know about
you, but places transmit to me their
particular atmosphere, whatsoever it may be- take this one for instance.
I belong to a group
of three parish churches, St Anthony in Sarmede, Sts Vito, Modesto & Cresentia
in Anzano and St Mary Magdalene in Cappella Maggiore.
Sometimes the parishes
squabble with each other just like normal families do over quite
inconsequential things, but most of the time we band up together to show that
there are fundamental things in life that we do care about, things that we know
are not negotiable.
Also, thanks to
that gregariousness which is typical of the Latin Mediterranean personality we
willingly make widespread use of public manifestations of what we believe in,
often materialized through some kind of action which usually becomes enacted
through parades or processions.
I suppose the reason
why we carry a statue on a platform, the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament
or the Cross is so as to characterize that particular procession with a
tangible object, as a reminder or a symbol of why we are gathered together...
well wouldn’t it look odd if a crowd of people were wandering around the
village loose for seemingly no apparent reason at all?
Parishes in Italy
are not at all content with having just one saint to look over them, so we find
most churches have one saint and Our Lady, choosing one of her many titles with
accompanying feast.
The Parish Church
in Cappella Maggiore is no exception and Mary Magdalene shares her patronage
with Our Lady of the Rosary whose feast day falls on the first Sunday of
October. Being the largest of the three
villages, Cappella Maggiore also have a band which accompanies all village
functions with a particular dedication towards those of a religious
nature. Hence, under a brilliant October
sun, at the ungodly hour of 2pm (on a Sunday that’s siesta time) and when the
Sunday lunch digestion was still taking its full course, the parishioners turned
up all the same and the procession took place.
It was really one
of the best I had ever seen, (though I often say that), but on this occasion I
was able to add some artistic touches with the photo taking, playing hide and
seek with the sun. Once back in church
that familiar atmosphere of nearness took over completely.
I have been in
this church when it was half full or near to empty, but even so, it always
appeared to me as “crowded”. It is the
kind of church that makes you feel immersed in a floating sea of people;
divided only by the large round marble pillars.
It’s as if all is linked together, rubbing, bumping and falling upon one
another instantaneously.
Do you remember
when you were at school during assembly, you all filed in one after the otherand
stood in rows, with hands at one’s side, standing up straight, facing the head
teacher in front- well, in this church there’s none of that- like I said it’s a
continuous, rubbing and bumping and falling upon one another.
Perhaps it’s the architecture- the almost square nave reserved for the congregation
seems to lend itself to providing that kind of intimacy.
I was thinking
about what Pope Benedict XVI was saying the other day in Germany, the need for
a new evangelization among people. Now,
what exactly does that mean, you may wonder.
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| Girls confirmed earlier this year have a special place in the procession |
After my visit to India I realized how the West has
emptied itself of spirituality and how empty society seems to be without
it. Of course, it doesn't take much
brains to figure out that where there is a void it is soon filled up by other
things and in this case it is filled up with banging, yelling and lots and lots
of useless noise, doing our brain in during the process.
As I am often known to say, where there are no flowers,
weeds will grow.
Continues...
