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Prior to WW2 in Italy it was
customary to to honor the fallen in the field of battle on the 4th of
November.
It was the date that Austria surrendered and WW1
ended. S.Andrea honored its sons in a very special and tender way. Each
acacia tree at Pian Castello was dedicated to a fallen son, that is all
except the tree which was Judas Tree
(Judas would hang himself on that tree
during the performance of the Pigghiata).
Small tables were set under each tree with
photographs of the fallen hero surrounded by freh flowers and lit candles.The
entire paese would visit each table and offer words of sympathy to the
family. The Rite was an extention of the november 1 rirual honoring the dead.
The practice made sense due to the fact that at that time bodies were not
returned to members of the family but rather buried in the field of battle
and records were not kept accurately. It was S.Andrea's way of saying "Thank
you for your supreme sacrifice.
The alliance of 1940 with Germany in WW2 put an end
to the practice as well as an end to the "Piave" as the Italian
National Hymn.
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