Passionate Parade St. Sebastian Through Streets

Editor's Note: Middletown Patch will have dramatic "I Nuri" video footage early Monday morning. Check back with us late this morning or follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates.

Sunday was a picture perfect day for the culmination of the three-day 91st annual St. Sebastian Festival in Middletown as the faithful, or "I Nuri," dressed in all white with red sashes left from two locations to converge upon the stately Romanesque church on Washington Street.

The passionate procession split into two groups — one leaving from the Sons of Italy Hall on Court Street and the other from St. Sebastian Cemetery on the Middlefield town line — as men and women, young and old, and children of all ages thrust red carnations high into the air, echoing the words, "Primu Diu e Sammastianu!"

The strongest and most devoted parishioners bear the heavy statue atop their shoulders as Middletown Common Council members and mayors past and present joined state and local dignitaries in leading the walk down the church steps, onto Washington, Broad, Court and Main streets, back up Route 66 to St. Sebastian Church.

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As the faithful disbursed shortly afterward, the carnival and food booths opened for the final day and live music could be heard from blocks around well past 8 p.m.

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