Our Little Church of Longoio

Practically the only time the sweet little church, or chiesina della margine, placed half-way between our village of Longoio and Mobbiano, is open is at the start of the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary – Marian May.

This year, perhaps because of an early Easter, Holy Mass was celebrated yesterday, Saturday 28th April.

The church’s interior has recently been whitewashed, new candle fittings on each side-wall, a lovely central candelabra cleaned up and, for the first time I remember, a Via Crucis or Stations of the Cross placed on the walls, All this regeneration of the church was paid for by the inhabitants of Longoio and, especially, by former inhabitants who emigrated to the rest of the world.

Whether one is a believer or not one fact is certain in Italy: there is complete love for one’s place of birth and upbringing. The memory of Longoio is so strong in the minds of those who had to emigrate to find work outside an Italy wrecked by war. The chiesina is truly the heart of all those who have lived, live and will live here. The memory continues through parental re-telling, celebrated in a sweet page by Tiziana on Facebook which you can find here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1770997666551182/

A still happily energetic Don Franco officiated the Mass and preached a sermon on the passages of the Gospels relating to vineyards and the good shepherd, What was so touching for me was to know that several of the congregation were, indeed, shepherds protecting their flocks against the ravages of wild beasts (in winter one local shepherd lost five sheep to the ever increasing population of wolves – something that had never happened before in our parts) and also keepers of vineyards.

Flowers were beautifully arranged by Lia and it was wonderful that Sandra’s 96 -year old mum was here with us and still able to walk down the stony path to our beautiful little church (which boasts a mediaeval holy water stoup and a gorgeous altar painting from sixteenth century Lucca).

It is of these little things that great significance is given to our lives. God truly lives in every flowering plant we see, every little animal welcoming us home, every soft whisper of the spring zephyr.