La Festa Grande in Onore Di Sant'Anastasia

There’s another festival in our city this week in honor of the patron saint of Motta—Saint Anastasia. This festival is only held every four years and it's serious. They kicked off the celebration at o’dark thirty on Thursday morning by lighting off fireworks in order to wake the saint, as well as me, my parents and the dogs. The fireworks have not stopped since! On Thursday evening we went to a historical parade with people wearing period costumes, waving flags and carrying banners. I didn’t enjoy my first parade as much as my parents had envisioned. I wanted to get down and run around and it was way too crowded so they wouldn’t let me so I got pretty cranky and we had to leave early. I was much happier running around on the side streets clapping my hands to the beat of the marching bands.

Due to my dislike of parades, we decided it was best to miss the religious procession last night and another one again this evening featuring the statue of St. Anastasia. Instead, Mom and I strolled the uphill cobblestone streets early this morning before the madness begins and went to "Chiesa Madre", the main church in Motta...

To get a glimpse of Saint Anastasia and have a moment with her all to ourselves...