I take a lot of random photos of plaques even though I usually don’t know what they say. Then between the time the churches close and dinner, I sit down with a glass of wine and edit photos, review my notes and translate these little scraps of text that someone took the time to carve into marble. Usually, this is a tedious and fruitless task. You learn meaningless trivia like which rich guy financed a particular restoration. But every now and then, a plaque pays out. And this one, friends. This is a jackpot.

This plaque is on the backside of Santa Maria del Pi. It reads:

On April 6, 1806 the news came that the miracles of Servant of God Father Jose Oriol, had been approved [by the Vatican, fulfilling the conditions for sainthood], for which reason the exterior of the church was illuminated.

[While adding lights] this little bridge collapsed and the director, Jose Mistres, fell down without harming himself despite his extraordinary fatness. This is as noted in the file of the religious community and commemorated by this headstone.

Please, please, please. No matter what sort of miracle I’m involved in (should I be so fortunate), do not commemorate my weight at the time.