Papa Pio Returns...After 500 years

When Enea Piccolomini became Pope in 1458, he decided to build the city of Pienza...just up the hill from where he had been raised as a boy.

In 1549, he returned to Pienza the second week in September to dedicate the first of the newly constructed buildings.

To get the peasants involved, he sponsored a race...the winners of which were awarded a live goose.













Well, this was the second week in September, so it was time for the modern edition of the Goose race.


The medieval version of the Swiss Guards entered the city...

....as did the colour guard bearing Pope Pio's coat of arms.

Could the Pope himself be far behind?

The sbandieratori were there, of course, with an even more spectacular show.

Much of the town was dressed up in period costume.


We almost didn't recognize some of our neighbours.

We had seen these two fair maidens many times before on the bus coming home from high school.



However, we had never seen them before without their ear buds listening to music.

Even some of the town's newer residents go in on the act.










The event was promoted as a "spettacolo," and the spectacle began with jugglers....

                                  (both of the next two brief videos look better full-screen)

....but soon became much more exciting and dangerous...

Finally, it was time for the Goose Race.

The runners assembled...



(note the runners' bibs in a throwback style and Roman numeral registration numbers).











Pope Pio made his appearance (or was it his body double?) in the the window of Palazzo Piccolomini.




He blessed the runners and then gave them a hearty Medieval Latin version of, "On you mark.  Get set. Go!?"


The locals told us it was a tough course...only 5 km long but constant up and down over very steep hills.

The runners finished the course to a salute from the sbandieratori and the cheers from the crowd.

Just like 500 years ago, the winners of this race receive a goose...this one not live, but instead a piece of sculpture created by our friend Piero Sbarluzzi.


Was all of this a little bit hokey?  You bet!

Was it a show put on to help promote Pienza tourism?  Of course!

But it was also a great community-building event that reminded everyone of Pienza's unique history.  That's why most of the town turned out, participated, and cheered heartily.