San Pietro’s Barchetta

On the night between 28 and 29 June, the San Pietro‘s Barchetta is made. A tradition that is lost in time, a little like the San Giovanni’ water (which instead is made on the night between 23rd and 24th June).

San Pietro’ barchetta is very simple. You take a nice jar full of water, pour in the white of an egg and leave it out all night. In the morning, if San Pietro has passed and blown on the sails, you will see a beautiful little boat.

My San Pietro was perhaps tired from having blown on so many other sails, because the boat doesn’t seem to have turned out so well to me. However, I will be able to fix it next year. I am always deaf, you certainly cannot forget.

Then one thing I don’t understand is that it’s called St. Peter’s barchetta, but on the 29th both Peter and Paul are celebrated. (maybe Paul is a little less important ??? poor).

However, I really like doing these things, because they remind me of when I used to do them as a child with my sisters and my mom, in lighthearted themes where the worst thing that could happen to me was to skip a cartoon episode.

I’m older now, but in the end the cartoon episodes are important anyway. Fortunately, with the internet and the various entertainment channels / formats and series, the danger of missing an episode never happens. Instead, think now how things have changed. I’m not nostalgic, but I’m a realist … I haven’t just aged, or grown up, let’s say I’ve had a bit of a “bumpy” path, at least in the last two years.

The tradition of the boat has its roots in the maze of Christianity and popular customs … I like traditions, because they anchor us to the past, to great stories and also to our roots.

In short, la barchetta is la barchetta.