Santo Stefano Fair III

Also the local scout group has its own stand at the fair. Not a food stand thought! A stand were you can play. A wolf is sitting on a board, high up on a huge wooden bucket (the ones used to press grapes when making wine). People can throw balls to hot a target: if you get it, the wolf falls in the water!!! You can get 3 balls for 2 euro. Last year the scout group got to go to their summer camp without expenses: all the money needed was raised at the fair. Isn't it nice (and clever)?

Empty church

Waiting for the faithful to come, the church is empty. Actually the Church is quite empty, many people walked away from it and took a distance, especially after the death of the beloved pope Giovanni Paolo II.

Crooked campanile

This is the campanile (tower) of he Cathedral of Portogruaro: I hope this picture really shows how crooked it is. What you see in the picture is not a impression given by the perspective, but the tower is really so bended. I hope it won't fall!

Unity of the faithful

This sign above the Cathedral's main portal reminds the faithful to come in unitate spiritus, that is in spirit's unity.

A wedding

The bride and the bridegroom are still in the Cathedral completing the wedding cerimony. Meanwhile, friends wrap their car with toilet paper and plastic wrap. The car inside is full of white and red heat shaped balloons!

Bronze portal on the right side

Again a bronze portal, this one is on the right side of the Cathedral. I'm sorry, I have a lack of inspiration today, so the picture is quite similar to yesterday's one ... forgive me!

Have a nice week-end!

Bronze portal for the Cathedral

The former parson of the parish of Santo Stefano decided to use all his mother's inheritance to renovate the Cathedral's doors (three entrances). He asked a local famous sculptor to make three bronze portals.

This is the front portal, representing a long row of people going towards Christ, source of light.

Bell tower

The Bell Tower of the Cathedral ... actually the reflection of the Bell Tower!!!

Inside the Baptistry

A view inside the Baptistry: this is the dome with original frescoes showing Christ with angels, prophets and Evangelists with their symbols.

The Baptistry of Concordia Sagittaria is the only Baptistry of the XIth century in Europe having still the original decoration and the frescoes still crearly displayed.

Under the Cathedral

How does it look like under the Cathedral and its square? This picture is taken underneath the main church. Here you can literaly walk on mosaics and take a look at the old Basilica.

It's impressive if you think that above your head there is a Church, people walking, bicycles coming along and so on!

Here are some more pictures shot the same day.

Under the Cathedral

Another rainy day, what can we do? .... Let's go UNDER the Cathedral!

Under the Cathedral there is a whole incredible ancient world. The Cathedral of Concordia was built in 1466 on - I really mean ABOVE - two existing churches and a couple of Roman domus. The Basilica Apostolorum was built starting from 381 AC and it lays exactly underneath the Cathedral of Santo Stefano. Beside it, the Trychora Martyrum, a small chapel built remembering Concordia's Christian martyrs. I'll show you more soon, it is very interesting.

I went there with my daughter, 4 years and a half, and she was really excited and amazed. I think it is so funny how for children everything is so "natural": for her, growing in this small town makes it absolutely normal to walk among Roman ruins and Medieval coffins!

Towards Heaven?

Saint Peter holds the keys of Heaven and welcomes you in your heavenly life after your journey on Earth. Could there be a better name than via San Pietro for the street that goes from the Cathedral to the town's graveyard?

Piazza Celso Constantini

Piazza Celso Costantini: the most central square in Concordia. In older times the square was simply a big green grass field stretching out till the Cathedral's front door. It has been renovated a couple of times, the last reconstruction in 1999. In this moment it has been dedicated to Celso Costantini (1876-1958), priest in Concordia e then Cardinal.