Varia di Palmi
 | This article includes alist of references,related reading,orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations.(February 2017) |
| Varia di Palmi | |
|---|---|
 Transporting the "Varia di Palmi" (2008) | |
| Genre | Festival |
| Date(s) | Last Sunday of August |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Palmi,Italy |
| Inaugurated | 1582 |
| Celebrations of big shoulder-borne processional structures | |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Reference | 00721 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2013 (8th session) |
| List | Representative |
TheVaria di Palmiis a Catholicfestivalthat takes place on the last Sunday of August, inPalmi,Italy, in honor of the city's patron saint and protector, theVirgin Mary,known asOur Lady of the Sacred Letter.The event is the most important festival in theCalabriaregion.
TheVariais a huge holy wagon that represents theUniverseand theAssumption of the Virgin Mary.Above the sacred chariot, 200 "mbuttaturi" (carriers) carry 16 metres (52 ft) tall human figures: "Animella" (child representing the Virgin Mary) and human figures representing "Padreterno"God,theapostles,and angels. The entire structure weighs 20 tonnes (20 long tons; 22 short tons).
The event includes a procession the day before, displaying the painting of "Our Lady of the Sacred Letter" and the shrine of the "sacred hair".
The event is part of a network of "Celebrations of big shoulder-borne processional structures",inserted in 2013 in the list ofUNESCOMasterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.In addition, the Istituto Centrale per la Demoetnoantropologia ( "Central Institute of Demoethnoanthropology" ) inRomecataloged the event as "intangible heritage" of the regions ofItalyandRome.Palmi organizes the festival under the patronage of theProvince of Reggio Calabria,Calabriaand religious institutions.
The origins of the festival date back to 1582, when theSenate of Messinagave a hair of theVirgin Maryto the town of Palmi, in gratitude for the aid provided to the Sicilian town during a plague. As a result of this gift, Palmi Messina imported the tradition of celebrating the Assumption of Mary with a votive chariot that represents the event.
Since 1900, theVariahas had several awards, including the cover of an issue ofLa Domenica del Corriere,a postage stamp produced byIstituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Statoand combined with a national lottery.
The event has been the subject of documentaries and profiles broadcast onRai 3(2009) andRete 4(2006), as well as live broadcasts on local stations and satellite.
Photo gallery
[edit]-
The icon of Our Lady of the Sacred Letter -
The Shrine of the Sacred hair -
The Varia di Palmi 1938 -
The Varia di Palmi 2013 -
The Varia di Palmi 2013 -
The Varia di Palmi 2013 -
The Varia Palmi 2013 arrival in the square -
The Varia Palmi 2013 arrival in the square
References
[edit]- Varia di PalmiatGoogle BooksGiuseppe Maria Viscardi e Paule Lerou,Popular piety in Italy, Calabria Volume I,ed. Letouzey & Ané, Paris 1996.ISBN889001380X
- Lovecchio Francesco,The Varia – history and tradition,ed. GolemSoftware, 2000 –ISBN8887455031
External links
[edit]
- History of Varia di Palmi(in Italian)