We meant to throw them a surprise party. What we got instead was a surprising kind of celebration. The team we'd assembled for the occasion pulled out all the stops—and left the guests of honor thoroughly amazed.
We're talking about Alessandro and Lucia, who marked their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary this May. They're well-known faces in Fede e Luce. For years, they've been vital presences in the Raggi di sole group in Conselve (PD)—animators, organizers, and for a time, leaders. But back to the party: as a team, we wanted to do something for them, to show our presence, friendship, respect, and affection. We kept it simple, nothing grandiose—we know them well enough to avoid anything that might make them uncomfortable. We aimed for something dignified, beautiful, and joyful.
It was supposed to be a complete surprise. We'd simply told the couple to clear their evening of May 24th because something important was happening and they absolutely had to be there. Then, after days of keeping the program under wraps, someone let Alessandro in on everything. It devastated us. We were furious. Everything seemed ruined. But the setback gave us new energy. We coordinated harder, threw ourselves into the work with fresh enthusiasm, and kept brainstorming.
The evening began with Mass at the parish church, celebrated by Father Giovanni—Alessandro's contemporary and friend. It was simple but festive, with real warmth and strong participation. It was moving to watch Alessandro and Lucia enter through the center aisle arm-in-arm with their children: Alessandro with Anna, Lucia with Marco. Francesco was abroad for his studies.
From there, we moved to the parish hall for a potluck buffet. Everyone who could bring something did—food and drink, all shared. Every dish was a small surprise, the menu wonderfully varied. About fifty people came, maybe more—friends, family, many from the Raggi di sole group, and friends from far away.
The team, well-coordinated and full of energy, thought of everything. The parish hall was decorated down to the smallest detail. It was beautiful: full of meaning, full of people, full of warmth. The atmosphere of friendship, joy, and family was powerful. And Alessandro and Lucia experienced their surprise with genuine wonder and delight.
What more can we say? We owe each other thanks. Thanks to Alessandro and Lucia for their witness of love and devotion to each other, especially when that love encounters fragility; thanks to all the friends who showed up and made the evening joyful; thanks too to Fede e Luce, which in its own way has woven itself into Alessandro and Lucia's life, and through them into so many others, making them the beautiful people we see today. For all of this, we're grateful.