Ferragosto, in Italy the most anticipated party of the summer. Between pagan and Catholic traditions, each August 15th in fact it can be an opportunity for anyone long bridges e trips to the sea. But also events and lunches to spend in cheerful company.
Ferragosto, history of the name
The name of this festival comes from Latin feriae Augusti, or the rest of Ottaviano Augusto, first Roman emperor. Already from its origins, therefore, a period of rest and celebrations. In fact, throughout the immense empire of Rome they organized themselves feasts e horse racing, as well as long processions and rites propitiating the fertility of the fields. We still have representations of these traditions today, almost unchanged in form and participation, in the Palio dell'Assunta which takes place in Siena on August 16th. In ancient times it seems that this celebration, starting from the first day of the "August" month, lasted until the end of the month.
Ferragosto or Feast of the Assumption, from paganism to Christianity in the Italian tradition
The Ferragosto festival, with the advent of Christianity, was later assimilated by the Catholic Church, with the celebration ofAssumption of Mary, moving the date from 01st to 15th August, thus making the secular anniversary and the Christian solemnity coincide. A dogma, the Assumption, recognized relatively recently, just over seventy years ago, which establishes the Virgin Mary was welcomed into heaven with both her soul and her body.
A day of barbecues, trips and swimming in the sea
The mid-August day is traditionally dedicated to sea trips, in the mountains and beyond. A custom that was already born during the twenty years of fascism, when under the regime it was the after-work associations that organized, at the behest of the regime, popular trips that also allowed the less well-off social classes to treat themselves to days out of the city at little cost. And since food was not included, the tradition of the packed lunch was born.
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