Saints Festival

Every year in East Cambridge the city celebrates Saints Cosmas and Damian and we happen to live one street over from where the festivities were held. Our neighbors, Josie and Marjie (the funny ladies that live below and above us) told us about this tradition and really wanted us to attend. The religious festival lasted Saturday and Sunday and it was a fun experience! We live in a mini-Italy neighborhood with lots of pictures/sculptures of Christ and the mother Mary. Even more, Warren Street, which is one street over from our house, has the Italian flag painted down the middle of the road:
They went all out for this festival and had lights and decorations all over the street. Below is the alter where they placed the Saints at the conclusion of the festival (we got the night before picture):Also, on Sunday our house was blessed (literally) by the local priest. The priest will walk through the neighborhood streets with a team of men (carrying the Saints) and bless people's houses per request. Of course, the home owners offer money and pin the money around the Saints. They lift up the Saints three times and then say the blessing in Italian and everyone shouts. In the picture above are the Saints covered in $$$. I was told that these Saints were twin brothers that were doctors and became the Healing Saints Cosmas and Damian. They've been celetrating this tradition since 1926.

If you've ever seen the Godfather - it was like that. There were a couple bands parading around the streets and sure enough, early Sunday morning I could hear the band coming up our street. Overall, it was a really fun cultural experience and I love that we live near all this!