A party that lasts from the afternoon of Friday 31st October until dawn on 1st November, designed for all ages. While many will dedicate themselves to “trick or treat”, the oratory of parish of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus (inserted in the Montecassiano Sambucheto Pastoral Unit) will come alive for the 13th edition of the “Feast of Saints”. An event born over a decade ago from the initiative of a group of parents. As the editions went by, participation grew more and more, not only from the hamlet but also from nearby parishes. “The original idea was to offer our children an alternative to Halloween parties,” he explains Laura Palmuccione of the organizers. «But we would like to underline that it is not an “against” event. It’s an opportunity». The day is divided into age groups, in a rich program that combines spirituality and fun.
It starts at 4.30pm and the first to arrive will be the primary school children. After an initial prayer, the little ones will be the protagonists of a much loved moment: «They will be involved in the search for clothes suited to their size and they will come dressed as saints. We have a lot of material, costumes preserved, washed and looked after with patience by a group of mothers in over ten years of celebration.” The afternoon will continue with team games, creative workshops with recycled materials «this year little angels and lights will be made for the procession» and the wait “Tombola of the Saints”. The principle is the classic one, but instead of numbers on the cards there are the names of the saints.
The first moment of union between the different generations will take place at 7pm with the Holy Mass, at the end of which the middle school children will arrive. Specific activities are planned for them, such as group dances and workshops. At 8pm there will be space for the community dinner, for which there are already 160 people booked, but which, as in previous years, could exceed 180 attendees including children, parents and volunteers. After dinner, however, will be dedicated to high school children, for whom the older educators have prepared a special activity: a Carlo Acutis themed escape room.
The parish priest tells the story of the beating heart of the night, Don Patrizio Santinelliwho experienced the event for the first time last year. “The most incredible thing is that at midnight we have a torchlight procession and at 3 in the morning after Eucharistic adoration, until 4.” An experience that profoundly affected the priest: «Last year I had just arrived and I found hundreds of kids. Nocturnal adoration She was beautiful with the young people. We meditated on the parable of the prodigal son and, as a sign, we gave each of us the ring. I saw kids who were moved and thanked me». For those who resist, the parish provides camp beds and mattresses to sleep in the oratory. «Last year at 5 in the morning we had a table football tournament», concludes the parish priest, smiling, before going to sleep «a little, because two hours later there was Mass».
An event that started small and today demonstrates how it is possible to offer an inclusive alternative, capable of uniting the community in the name of joy and faith.
