This week the town of Pico has celebrated the feast of Santa Marina. There was small procession earlier in the week and mass each day, culminating in this evening’s festivities. Chiesa Santa Marina dates back to the 1100s and while Mass began at 7pm, people arrived throughout the entire hour. The church is so small that not everyone could fit inside; at least 30 people were standing oitside at the side and back doors, and even hanging out the windows of their homes to hear Mass.

At the conclusion, a regional band played while Santa Marina was paraded around the town to the main church, Sant’Antonino. Even Paul got in on the act.

At the end of the procession, there were fireworks but we have no idea where they being set off and it was raining on and off. The sound of the fireworks reverberated throughout the stone town; I felt like it would cause even the strongest building to crumble. 

In the town square there was a food truck with sandwiches. We saw many neighbors and socialized briefly before driving to Sperlonga to pick up D who had spent the night with his friend Andrea that he met on the basketball court three years ago. 

In Sperlonga we ate at Da Mari, a pizza place we frequented three years ago directly across from the beach front basketball court. A pepperoni and fior di latte pizza for me and buffalo mozzerella and tomato for Paul.

We briefly met up with Andrea and D before needing to part ways. Andrea is working hard to become a professional basketball player. At 6’4″ he is one of the tallest people in Sperlonga, trains each morning at 6am with a coach; and plays for a program in Turin during the school year. Hopefully it won’t be another three years before they see each other again.