All of Tiglio, and some from several other communities, on Sunday afternnon, came out for the exceptionally well attended finale to months of effort leading up to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Oratorio di Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Partly cloudy skies provided some relief from the heat as the procession, led by the banners of the Misericordie of Tiglio, Barga, Coreglia Antelminelli, and Fillecchio, and the bearers of the icon of Santa Maria delle Grazie, wound its way down the forested road from Tiglio Basso to Le Seggiane.
The affable Archbishop, clearly proud of his flock for their devotion to the restoration of the humble wayside church, followed the procession with Don Stefano of Barga, Don Cola of Tiglio, and Marco Bonini, Mayor of Barga, and presided over Mass complimenting the congregation for its dedication to the restorations of the ancient church and reverence for its icon, which, he emphasized, while not an artwork of great value, its value lies in its great symbolic significance and the honour in which it is held.
Kerry Bell
