Sunday June 24, Hvar City, Hvar island

Written by Jack van Ommen on June 24th, 2012

I went to 9 a.m. mass at the church of St.Peter the Martyr in the old Dominican Cloister. The choir was all male and they sung in harmony, the hymns were all of a similar style like Gregorian but more melodious. Just like in Polynesia it was a little unpolished but from the soul. The men in the congregation also dominated the singing. The envy of my St. Nicholas parish music director. I got my money’s worth for my collection portion, just from the singing. It reminded me of French Polynesia except their women were not singing the melody. A beautiful organ. The church was first built in 1453. It has seen and withstood many waves of occupations and colonizations. I had a chance, before mass, to go up to the cemetery and discovered a Petrich section, relatives of the Tacoma Petriches. I want to die on Hvar and be buried in this peaceful setting.

It took 4 hours to back track to Hvar City. But I am glad I saw both places. I went from door to door asking where I could find the cousin of Clare Petrich. When it cooled off the wise and old came out and I found the group of men, each of the towns like Hvar has these gatherings, in their late seventies and older. Zorko Mauricic gave me the bad news that Clare’s cousin passed away last winter. Zorko knew Martin Petrich, the boat builder in Tacoma. Tony Busolich a local native who lived most of his live in Cairns, Australia , was my translator.

I am squeezed like a sardine in a can between my two dock neighbors, the Harbor Master ghets his money’s worth. But most of the boats had to anchor out. This is a very popular day trip tourist attraction from the mainland.

 

 

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