Rain Didn't Hamper the Devoted

Clad in white with red sashes, in white socks, barefoot or with taped toes, 400 faithful parishioners of St. Sebastian Church, the I Nuri, made an emotional, rain-soaked run for their patron saint Sunday.

Two hundred men, women and children set out each from St. Sebastian Cemetery in Rockfall and the Italian Society on Court Street, and as citizens watched in raincoats and under umbrellas, converged upon the church, shouting in increasingly hoarse voices "Primo Diu e Sammastianu!"

Once inside, the I Nuri celebrated at the altar, followed by the hoisting of the sacred statute of St. Sebastian, and yet another parade down the church steps and into the street below.

Never in the 90-year history of the St. Sebastian Festival has the statute been rained upon, according to Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, and although today that record was broken, it didn't hamper the devoted a single bit.

There were a few moments of confusion once the statute reached Washington Street and the skies opened. As festival chairs Councilman Phil Pessina and Gene Nocera directed the men who bore the statute's weight, it was moved steps forward and back, then repositioned — until the decision was made to make the full square block run in the pouring rain.

Down Broad Street the procession walked, trailed by I Nuri, then Court Street, a left onto Main and back up Washington Street again as onlookers watched.

If you didn't brave the rain, we did, and documented the entire thing. Enjoy.