Pacchianella

This past weekend was an eventful one here in town. It was the culmination of our yearly festival which actually starts on July 16, but the final day, July 27th, is the day with the most activity.

Below town we have what used to be a monastery but now is used as a residence for our priests and a chapel dedicated to the Madonna of Mt Carmel. Every year, on the feast of Our Lady of Mt, Carmel, July 16, the statue of the Madonna is removed from the chapel and brought up to the top of the hill, to the church here in town, accompanied by the people of the town along with a marching band and fireworks.

She remains here in the town church until July 27th, the day after the feast of St. Anne, when she is returned to her rightful place in the chapel below town.

On July 27th, preceded by the Madonna, the people of town, many of them dressed in traditional costumes, design floats with traditional scenes that carry donations to the Madonna. Other people dressed in traditional costumes, push or pull carts or simply carry baskets full of gifts. Of course, we need to keep in mind that what seems to be a nice little parade is actually a steep uphill climb.

The Pacchianella was historically centered around grain, but in recent years the gifts have come to include everything from baked goods to live animals. These gifts are later auctioned off in the piazza.

Later in the evening, after mass, the statue of the Madonna, again accompanied by the townspeople (along with a marching band and fireworks), is returned to the chapel. Everyone then passes the statue, touching the hem of her cape.

Here is a slideshow of this year’s pacchianella.

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