The oak of San Nicola survived the saracens in 1550, the French armies in 1800, the Allied bombings in WW2. 23 mt high, 3.5 wide at the bottom, one of the oldest trees in Italy. Now it is included in the WWF project among the national monuments.

Neighbours in Pescara, Ennio Flaiano and Gabriele d'Annunzio met many times. In a note of 7 dec 1900, d'Annunzio's mother Luisa de Benedictis thanked Ennio's father, Cetteo Flaiano for a 100 Lire loan.

On 31 december "Passo al 2001" will welcome the new millennium at Passolanciano with music and fireworks.

Fireworks early this morning to open the feast, schools closed until 2 october, everybody in the historical borough for games and music. On Sunday archbishop Edoardo Menichelli will lead the procession of the statue. Today at 17.30 "San Michele" prize awards to Angelo Cianci, a Vastese journalist master, Franco Del Casale, a doctor working in Argentina, Vincent Scurria, promoter of the twinship with Perth, Lucia Molino who restored the Sant'Onofrio hospice, volleyball player Caterina De Marinis, and poet Espedito Ferrara.

Pictures and documents on show until 25 november, (16 to 18.30) on the life of Ennio Flaiano, journalist, writer and script-writer. Of great interest his reportage on WW2 in Abruzzo.

After the theft of last night two valuable pieces are left in the cathedral of Sant'Eustachio Martire: a sword and a large painting. But the relics of Sant'Eustachio and Sant'Emidio are gone. There is rumor of bad omen on 20 september: during the procession the head cover fell twice off the saint's statue.

Tomorrow starting at 9 in the Museo archeologico Le Paludi di Celano a meeting on Renaissance painter Andrea De Litio, his background and production. Also a special research on the apparel of 15th century Italy as shown in his Atri cycle.

Born in Lecce dei Marsi in the early 15 century Andrea de Litio worked between 1430 and 1480. His apprenticeship was probably under the influences of the international Gothic style from Venice and the Umbrian pre-Renaissance. In 1442 he was mentioned as working in the church of sant'Agostino in Norcia. In 1450 he was entrusted with the now lost frescoes of san Francesco in Sulmona. Then all the other great production throughout Abruzzo until the great masterpiece in Atri. His works are also in Norcia, New York (Metropolitan museum) and Baltimore (Walters art gallery).