Church of St. Euphemia; Motovun

The church sits atop the hill next to the prominent bell tower. We had been told mass was at 11:00am, so we trudged up the hill through narrow medieval streets on uneven cobblestones and reached the top about 10-15 min. after. We learned later there was an easier way to get up and down the hill. Turned out that the mass started at 10:30am, so we pretty much missed it, but after mass ended we explored the church and admired the panoramic view from the hill. I will not again mention how incredibly blue the sea is here, but I will add that its surface from where we were appeared wonderfully still and serene this day. The church is named after St Euphemia, of course, who is the patron saint of Rovinj. She was tortured and thrown to the lions in AD 304 by Emperor  Diocletian for her faith. Her tomb sat in Constantinople until the 9th century when it was removed out of fear that the the iconoclasts would destroy it. Somehow her sarcophagus was lost at sea and washed ashore in Rovinj. The townspeople were unable to move it until a young boy with two calves, answering St. Euphemia's call, managed to haul it up the hill. Considering this to be a miracle, the people of Rovinj made her their patron saint. The sarcophagus now sits in the church. The bell tower was modeled after the one in St. Mark's square in Venice and is topped by a copper statue of the saint.

We motored to Motovun in the afternoon. This is a hill town in the interior of Istria. From afar, it is quite striking. We were able to drive about 3/4 of the way up and then had to walk the rest of the way. Stunning views from the town, and wonderful old buildings. Mario Andretti, Indy race driver, spent his youth here. Considering the winding, serpentine roads of rural Istria and the tight switchbacks and turns of the road leading up to the town, it's not hard to see where he got his driving chops.

An incredible day, and each day seems to top the last. Tomorrow we head out of Istria and down the coastal road to Zadar.