There are few national holidays in Italy, but local celebrations never end . The days of patron saints are usually a pretext for one form or another of madness. All cities, towns and villages have their own local saint, whose relics and likenesses are usually flaunted in procession through the streets. This is accompanied by a lot of uproar, music and performances, and the whole ceremony resembles a theatrical performance. Any excuse to test is good: anniversary of a miracle or historical event, willingness to present local products or works of a local artist, etc. Popular periods of organizing these celebrations are Easter, May. September and around Ferragosto (15 August). AAST/EPT offices have detailed information and a calendar of celebrations.
In recent years, there has been a revival of carnival (carnevale). Unbridled fun, which was a tradition of the last period before Ash Wednesday, however, was replaced by calm, exquisite celebrations with fancy costumes and handmade masks.
The most famous is the carnival in Venice. It is a very well organized festa. during which the life of the entire city center often stops. Equally popular, and perhaps even more spontaneous is the carnival in Viareggio (Tuscany) and in Arcireale, Sicily. Smaller towns, in order not to be left behind, they also organize solemn parades. Carnival usually lasts for five days before Ash Wednesday. Because the time of carnival is associated with the date of Easter, is not constant, but it always falls in the period from the end of February to the end of March.
RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS AND FOLK TRADITIONS
The most widespread local tradition in Italy is sometimes very spectacular religious processions.. Most of them still have pagan roots. : they were held to celebrate important dates in the astronomical calendar and were taken over by the church. One of the most famous processions takes place in the small village of Cocullo in the mountains of Abruzzo, every year, 6 May (Holy Day. Dominic Abate). when a statue of a saint teeming with snakes is carried around the city. This ritual certainly dates back to pre-Christian times.. Good Friday, for obvious reasons, is also a day of solemn processions.
In many towns and villages, statues of the crucified Christ are carried through the streets, and they are accompanied by figures dressed in white habits with hoods and singing songs.. Especially many such processions are on the west coast of Sicily, as well as in other cities of the south: Taranto. Reggio. Bari or Brindisi. On Holy Saturday, a procession of flagellants passes through the streets of Nocera Tirinese in Calabria.. At the end of the year, a great nativity scene fair (presepi) precede Christmas in Naples and Verona (in Naples, the production of presepi is a popular craft).
The Mrecato di San Ambrogio in Milan is organized on a similar scale. On the Feast of Revelation (6 January) dedicated to the good fairy Befana, the fair of toys and sweets around the fountains in Piazza Navona in Rome lasts until dawn. On the same day, the procession of Rei Magi passes through Milan (Epiphany), and in Rivisondola in Abruzzo vivid paintings are depicted (tableaux). There are others. less spectacular celebrations dedicated to the commemoration of miracles. The most famous of them is the Festa di San Gennaro in Naples, where three times a year there is a miraculous liquefaction of the saint's blood surrounded by superstitious worship.
Other ritual celebrations are less religious in nature, which is why both the local bishop and the communist mayor are eager to attend.. The motivations that drive people to participate in the patronal world of the city are very different: the desire to make money, having fun and spiritual enrichment are mixed with a superstitious desire to be happy”. In Gubbio there is a crazy race to the church of San Ubaldo (5 May), during which each of the competitors carries an 8-meter long wooden stake. In other places there are similar races. 3 September. 27-a meter high Macchina Santa Bosa illuminated by small oil lamps is carried around the streets of Viterbo. and ok. 22 June the same thing happens with eight lilies {Gigli) In Nola. near Naples. All these huge towers can be treated as phallic symbols: however, it makes more sense to associate them with the ancient pagan worship of the gods..
The number of practicing Catholics in Italy is decreasing year by year and until recently the popularity of many fest also continued to decline.. But in the last decade there has been a resurgence of interest in many celebrations, and especially pilgrimages. They are not only a way to spiritual conversion., but equally social opportunities. Some of them are more important for Italians than Christmas and attract huge crowds. To the Sanctuary of Madonna di Polsi, in the unfavorable mountains of Aspromonte in Calabria in September, traveling at night (mainly on foot) almost a million pilgrims. There are many similar sanctuaries in the country; they are usually located on hard-to-reach hills and are sometimes visited regularly by Italian families living in the area., and sometimes only once a year. From other traditions, the celebration of All Saints' Day survived, when children receive gifts given to them on behalf of their deceased relatives. This is to make children aware of this, that people, with whom they were once close, they still think of them. There are also local celebrations, which make residents proud of their traditions. These are medieval professions, such as the Palio Horse Race in Siena, which sustains the old sense of clan belonging. Palio races are also held in other towns, for example. in Alba and Asti in Piedmont, although for the most part they were resurrected more as bait for tourists than. authentic tradition and cannot compete with the seriousness and vigor of the Sienese Race. Still other towns organize crossbow shooting competitions or rhythmic flag waving competitions.. These celebrations are accompanied by parades dressed in medieval costumes, vigorously beating in snare drums of music bands.