Varia di Palmi

The Varia di Palmi is a pious custom of the Catholics of Palmi, which is celebrated every few years on the last Sunday in August. The festival with procession takes place in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Virgin of the Holy letter, is the patron saint of the city. It is probably the most significant event in the Calabria region and of the Rete delle grandi macchine a spalla italiane, an association for moving large prozessionaler structures, which are worn on the shoulders, which was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2013 been.

The Varia is a huge, table-shaped design that is intended to represent the universe and the Assumption of Mary into heaven. The assembly has a height of 16 meters and is on the shoulders of 200 carriers ( " Mbuttaturi " ) worn. On it are also figures that represent the Virgin Mary, God, the apostles and the angels. Moreover, in the procession several relics of the Mother of God be supported.

Origin

The custom dates back to 1582, when the Senate of the city of Messina the city of Palmi the relic of a hair of the Virgin Mary gave to bring his gratitude for the help of the city of Palmi during a thirty-year plague expressed. Many citizens had fled to Palmi and were taken there. The hair relic of the Virgin Mary had allegedly held since the year 42 in Messina, Sicily, along with a letter, which is also attributed to the Virgin Mary. In this way the veneration of the Virgin by the Holy letter from Messina came to Palmi. In the years in which the Varia di Palmi is not committed, the last Sunday is celebrated in August as a commemoration of the Virgin of the Holy letter.

Since 1900, the festival has won several awards, appeared on the cover of the newspaper La Domenica del Corriere and will be broadcast live on several Italian television channels. In addition, a stamp was issued with the motive of Varia.

Icon of the Virgin of the Holy letter

Varia di Palmi 2013

Varia di Palmi 2013

Varia di Palmi 2013