Tradition repeated among St. Sebastian parishioners was that the statue of St. Sebastian, hauled into the streets during the yearly May festival, has never gotten wet by rain.
Tradition fell Sunday, on the "90th" (see historical story below) anniversary being celebrated by parishioners as significant downpours soaked the cult of St. Sebastian, drenching the nuri and washing the statue.
As the nuri (Italian for naked, because of the tradition of running barefoot to the church), rounded the corner from Main Street to Washington Street, the clouds opened, and as the true believers shouted "Primu Diu e Sammastianu" (first God, then Sebastian), rain soaked their white outfits and red sashes. At least no shoes were ruined.
The rain let up momentarily as the nuri stormed the church, and returned with the statue to the street. But another cloudburst had festival organizers trying to direct the paraders back into the church with the statue, while the nuri themselves demanded to take the statue on its full route. The nuri won the day.
"It's their statue after all," said festival organizer, parishioner and Common Council member Phil Pessina. "They wanted to make the full route, and its their right. Their statue."
Pessina himself was sopping in his Sunday best.
Ironically, many of the nuri approached the status of their ancient name. Though none shed their clothes in the rain, many found their white garb became translucent in the showers.
The crowd size was much smaller than usual, and the usual coterie of local and state politicians was not in evidence in the procession.
"Politicians melt in the rain, I guess," said a local wag.
Tradition repeated among St. Sebastian parishioners was that the statue of St. Sebastian, hauled into the streets during the yearly May festival, has never gotten wet by rain.
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