A funeral

Here in Sicily, death is accepted as part of life but when it inevitably occurs, it becomes a time of  great  social interaction. It becomes an event where emotions run high and where the entire neighborhood must participate. The departed, was not a rich or powerful woman, she lived in a very modest abode on a street parallel to mine, yet her funeral mass an procession were attended by a large throng. All the neighbors just had to be there to show their solidarity and share in the grief.
An interesting thing is that the coffin is not placed into the hearse immediately upon exiting the church but it follows the hearse for a few blocks carried by relatives and friends as a sign of ultimate dedication and respect.