After living in San Giorgio for a few years and making new friends there is always the reality that you will have to attend a funeral.
Unfortunately, last week we had to attend Roberto’s funeral. When we first came to live here Roberto on his daily walk used to stop at the house to see what progress was being made. So we started chatting together. He always spoke very clear Italian and was always willing to repeat and rephrase if I didn’t understand something. So you always finished a chat with him thinking your Italian was getting better.
He had been ill for the last few months and died last week. As he was known by all the village the funeral mass in the parish church was full. Here in San Giorgio the funeral is held within 48 hours of the death. After the mass in the church the mourners walk behind the coffin to the local cemetery where there is another short service of internment.