Drizzle in summer!!!!

Drizzle in midsummer

Yes it actually drizzled this morning ... at 5am ... and quite heavily too. In mid-summer!!! I had to go early to say Mass at the Ivrea convent because they start school today (summer vacation over) ... that means 6am Mass. As I walked out into the streets I could feel the raindrops and I was getting wet. Rain clouds were floating pass above and a very cold wind was blowing. There was no going back to get an umbrella as I will be late for Mass so I walked the 25 minutes to the convent ... by which time I was quite wet. Passing by the bakery, a driver was shouting "It's raining" ... meaning keep the fresh bread indoors because the boys were loading cartons of fresh bread by the roadside for vans to pick them up and distribute to various stores throughout the City and villages. Well miracles do happen ... and it drizzled in midsummer.

Altar of the Crusader
Chapel

Our streets continue to be crowded with orthodox christians as they swarm down to the Kidron Valley and venerate the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. Greeks, Russians and Ethiopics are the most numerous. Today is the end of the week of celebrations and the orthodox gather flowers offered at the Tomb as a souvenir to bring home. Soon in a couple of weeks the jews will celebrate their New Year and Day of Atonement and the feast of Tents. It is a pretty crammed month of religious feasts ... pretty intense ... and the roads and streets will continue to be heavily secured. That is what I dislike ... though I realize it's import for security.

Yesterday I celebrated Mass at the Holy Sepulcher in the Chapel of the Crusaders. I was alone so it was very calm and there was no stress in finishing it in 20 minutes as is required by the Status Quo rule. Remembered you all during the Mass.