La Festa di San Rocco

Happy Feast of St. Rocco!

Since he is one of our Patrons, it was an extra blessing to find a procession a little closer to home this year. (While we highly enjoyed Cleveland last year, I was not feeling up to a journey with this bronchitis). It turned out (Ahem) to be the perfect decision.

St. Raphael parish was the location of the closest St. Rocco festival so off we went on Sunday night. It was really raining when we headed into Mass and it didn't let up enough to process but it was a wonderful time anyway. Celebrating my husband's (and my children's'..and my adopted ;0) ) heritage, attending Mass with friends, seeing an unexpected guest and snacking on some Italian yummies.

St. Rocco, in his place during Mass before heading outside.

Being St. Raphael's Parish, #1 recounted the story of St. Raphael, Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah while we waited.

This was the real deal...totally and completely in Italian. After the "surprise (to us) guest" read the Gospel, #3 leaned over and said, "I hope the homily is in English." "Arrrgh!" was his next word because, not even that...all Italian, all the time. So cool.

We made it through the Mass (I'm always amazed when, even in a different language, you can follow along because it's the same Mass everywhere) and waited as St. Roch (Rocco) made his exit.

Once outside, everyone just crowded around and pinned their money to his sashes (someday I'll find out what that's about)...we played games

Thumb wrestling with friends :0)

and partook of the most a-maz-ing thing I've eaten in a long time

They are called taralli (the ones we had were sweet...you can also make them with black pepper!) and I don't have a picture of ours because they were gone in a minute...soooo good. Crunchy and delish. Yum. Almost like a sweet pretzel that had gone stale but my friend, the Italian, said, "no, they're dippers...they're supposed to be crunchy." What a find. I can see a winter unit study on Italy in our future!

What a wonderful evening of faith, family and friends. Oh, the special guest...a newly Ordained priest from our diocese who also happens to be Mr. G's godbrother. How cool is that? (Ahem). God is good, all the time.

Special blessings for a special day.

St. Rocco, Pray for Us!