Eventi
Religiosi
People that inhabit Le Marche are very keen on their
religious tradition. The area belonged for centuries to the Papal States
and nowadays religious events are celebrated every year, in every
season..
The beginning of the year is the time for the ritual of
Pasquella. On Epiphany people stroll thorough the villages singing and
playing traditional instruments. It is a good omen for health and
prosperity. Sant’Antonio, the saint protector of animals is celebrated
on the 17th January. Celebrations
are held on this occasions on the main squares of the villages.
Carnival is everywhere considered a pagan celebration.
Easter time is instead lived with increased religiosity and
participation. The steps of the last days of Jesus Christ are
retraced in celebrations such as the century old procession of Cagli,
Cammino de’la Morte del Giusto that consist in a sort of pilgrimage
from Villa Musone to Loreto, la Via Dolorosa in Saltara, Cristo Morto in
Grottamare (celebration held every three years), Bara della Notte in
Porto Recanati, Via Crucis in Monsampaolo del Tronto and Turba di
Cantiano (ancient and moving revocation of Christ’s Calvary). These
are just some of the many revocations that take place during the Holy
Week in Le Marche.
Corpus
Domini processions are maybe the most picturesque celebrations of all. A
lot of squares, in Cupramontana, in Castelraimondo, in Fermigliano and
in San Ginesio for instance, are decorated with beautiful flower
compositions (infiorate) before the procession begins. The
‘infiorata’ in Ortezzano takes place the 10th of June to confirm
year after year the vow to the ‘Madonna del Soccorso.
Local
religious ceremonies don’t lose the solemnity and splendour of bigger
celebrations. The first Sunday of September a procession is organized in
Montefortino in occasion of the “Festa del Santissimo Crocifisso’.
People walk as far as a sanctuary built where there was a statue of Holy
Mary in 1000 AD. There a deaf young shepherd that used to bring flowers
to the statue is said to have gained back her voice. Women that attend
the procession are wont to bring flower baskets on their heads.
Many
are the celebration on Patron Saints Days. The event that maybe attracts
more believers is the celebration held in occasion of the recurrence of
the anniversary of the Translation of the Holy House of Nazareth (10th
December 1294) to Loreto. The same house where Virgin Mary had the
Annunciation from the Archangel.
Christmas time is also rich of religious events. A
lot of villages throughout le Marche set up picturesque cribs. Urbino
hosts a large collection of Natività from all over the world. The cribs are on show throughout the town. Presepi Viventi (crib’s characters are
impersonated by people and not statues) are every year more copious:
Novafeltria, Potenza Picena, Piobbico, Precicchie, Massignano and
Pollenza and in a lot of other villages. This is how the Birth of Chirst
is celebrated throughout Le Marche, in a triumph of spirituality.