Saturday 18 August 2018

Il mio onomastico

Celebrating one's onomastico or name day is a tradition that goes back in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox countries as far as the Middle Ages. Other European countries also adopted the tradition.


Your name day is  connected to the Saint's day according to the Roman Calendar for your given name. 18th August is the Saint's day for Saint Helena or Elena, mother of King Constantine, so people with names that derive from Helena celebrate on this day. This includes the many  women named Elena and Eleonora that we have met in Italy ... and me! 

One of our Italian teachers at CIS Carlton told us that these days only your nonna remembers your onomastico, but I'm a grandmother so I can celebrate the day. What better excuse to eat cake.

This afternoon we walked along the path on the Lago Trasimeno Lido. Lots of people were walking their dogs, sunbaking and a few were in the water. It is a pleasant place to spend some time; much cooler than up in the town centre. Tonight there is a summer party on the shore, starting ar 8 pm and finishing at 5 am tomorrow. Fireworks at 12.30 am.





An Aperol Spritz aperitivi in the piazza, dodging raindrops.

 
Home for dinner which was bought at the deli section of a small supermarket which is at a busy intersection, not even in a village. Gotta love Conad Pineta.


We bought this excellent bottle of bubbles, a Scacciadiavolo Brut at Ristorante Masolino last week.

Mushroom crepes with rocket and tomatoes.


A quick dash out the back gate and up to Piazza Podestà for the sunset.


Some-one cut the moon in half!


To finish off we had tiramisù.


They say that an onomastico is celebrated like a birthday.  I think we did it justice.

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