Today is Ferragosto and, according to Wikipedia, "is an Italian holiday celebrated every August 15th. Originally, it may have related to a celebration of the middle of the summer and the end of the hard labor in the fields. The Catholic Church celebrates this date as a Holy Day of Obligation to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—the real physical elevation of her sinless soul and incorrupt body, into Heaven.

Before the Roman Catholic Church came into existence, however, this holiday was celebrated in the Roman Empire to honor the gods—in particular Diana—and the cycle of fertility and ripening. In fact, the present Italian name of the holiday derives from its original Latin name, Feriae Augusti (Festivals of the Emperor Augustus).  Almost the entire month of August was taken as a holiday and leisure time in Italy in honor of this feast day."

Now it seems that most Italians celebrate it with tombola  (bingo) which begins at 10 PM tonight.  Steve, Kegan and I had a lazy morning followed by our favorite walk above town.  We will leave the evening festivities to the Spoletini and just have a family game and movie night... Life's simple pleasures!