Near the stable, the shepherd Luigi De Angelis spends a day in the sun preparing the crosses for the feast of the Holy Cross. With the measured and confident gestures of someone who has carried out this task for many years, Luigi carves the hazelwood sticks<\/b> set aside in previous days, trims the horizontal joints, and consecrates the objects with Candlemas wax and blessed olive branches, before giving them to those who seek a special protection for their homes and fields.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"