San Donato Research Paper
San Donato, a cute little town one hour outside of Rome has an annual feast to celebrate the patron saint, Donatus of Arezzo usually during August 29th to September 8th. During this feast, there are carnival rides and sometimes booths set up with prizes to win, there are also a very big flea market containing a variety of things such as clothes, cheesy souvenirs that say Italy all over them, you know the kind I am talking about, food and vegetables. Since the town of San Donato is so small almost everyone knows each other so the kids meet up at the mini zip line next to the school and usually the adults meet up at the pizzeria called Maruo or the piazza and drink cappuccino until five in the morning. The first day of the feast is when everyone
in town goes up the mountain to church, they sing their songs and get blessed with their rosaries. At the end of the ceremony everyone goes up to the statue of the saint and either touch the bottom of the skirt or kiss it, “it finalizes their blessings and makes you feel like Saint Donatus is watching over you” (Roffo, Donata). As the days go on the piazza becomes more alive with all different kinds of music from musicians set up on a center stage. There's so many BBQ stands set up, Nutella crepe trucks, which is my absolute favorite thing to get when I visit, there's vegetables and fruits set up in rows for people to come inspect before they buy. Everyday there is a mass procession which ends with the priest carrying the statue of the patron saint around town, up and down the hills for everyone to touch or kiss and become blessed. On any holiday, the people that celebrate it get dressed up in their nicest attire, but in San Donato they don't get dressed up just once,” Everyone gets dressed up in something different at least three times a day, people notice when you are in the same clothes and it is kind of shunned upon” (Roffo, Donata); men wear nice button-down shirts and slacks were women almost always wear dresses, the later it gets the dressier they get. On the last day of the festival the usual events take place with the procession, the activities, the food, music and the flea market. Something special that happens during the last procession is a reef made out of beautiful colorful flowers that are collected from around town is brought to the top of the church to get blessed then brought around town to bless others, the last day is also the celebration of their immigrants so in celebration the night ends with fireworks going off, sitting there with family watching the fireworks is such a pleasing feeling, knowing you have someone there watching over you. I will never forget the first time I got to visit San Donato with my family, even though it was such a small town all the things the feat has to offer make everyone come alive and make everything so entertaining. Everyone stays up in the piazza until 3 am drinking cappuccinos, eating gelato and listening to bands play, this week is what everyone looks forward to you can tell by the happiness and relaxation on their faces. The smell of meat from Boucher’s drift around the air making you crave a bruschetta sandwich. The San Donato feast is loved tradition by many towns people and myself.
in town goes up the mountain to church, they sing their songs and get blessed with their rosaries. At the end of the ceremony everyone goes up to the statue of the saint and either touch the bottom of the skirt or kiss it, “it finalizes their blessings and makes you feel like Saint Donatus is watching over you” (Roffo, Donata). As the days go on the piazza becomes more alive with all different kinds of music from musicians set up on a center stage. There's so many BBQ stands set up, Nutella crepe trucks, which is my absolute favorite thing to get when I visit, there's vegetables and fruits set up in rows for people to come inspect before they buy. Everyday there is a mass procession which ends with the priest carrying the statue of the patron saint around town, up and down the hills for everyone to touch or kiss and become blessed. On any holiday, the people that celebrate it get dressed up in their nicest attire, but in San Donato they don't get dressed up just once,” Everyone gets dressed up in something different at least three times a day, people notice when you are in the same clothes and it is kind of shunned upon” (Roffo, Donata); men wear nice button-down shirts and slacks were women almost always wear dresses, the later it gets the dressier they get. On the last day of the festival the usual events take place with the procession, the activities, the food, music and the flea market. Something special that happens during the last procession is a reef made out of beautiful colorful flowers that are collected from around town is brought to the top of the church to get blessed then brought around town to bless others, the last day is also the celebration of their immigrants so in celebration the night ends with fireworks going off, sitting there with family watching the fireworks is such a pleasing feeling, knowing you have someone there watching over you. I will never forget the first time I got to visit San Donato with my family, even though it was such a small town all the things the feat has to offer make everyone come alive and make everything so entertaining. Everyone stays up in the piazza until 3 am drinking cappuccinos, eating gelato and listening to bands play, this week is what everyone looks forward to you can tell by the happiness and relaxation on their faces. The smell of meat from Boucher’s drift around the air making you crave a bruschetta sandwich. The San Donato feast is loved tradition by many towns people and myself.