For those who live in the district of Lake Bolsena it is impossible that at least once they did not go, on May 14, to see the passes in Marta.
This feast has its roots between myth and faith, where the fruits of the hard work of the Martani are offered to Our Lady of Mount. The Feast of Our Lady of The Mount, or Festa delle Past, is probably the most heartfelt event of the Martana community. As the event approaches, work intensifies to organize it, an activity in which the entire population participates, to varying degrees.
Here is some information:
At nine o'clock the historical procession begins the traditional route that crosses the whole country to reach the sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount. It consists, in order, of the categories of Casenghi, Bifolchi, Villani and Pescatori; they are followed by the band, the Ceri, the clergy, the civil authorities with the banner, the people.
Madonna del Monte Committee
Who are the passers-by?
- Casenghi, 1st
- Huron
- Shepherds (sub-category of bifolchi)
- Villani, 1
- fishermen
Casenghi, 1st
Trusted men of landowners who had tasks of surveillance of the estates and those who worked there, parade on horseback.
Huron
in the past they had the task of guiding the horse-riding plough-biting during ploughing) which parade with stuffed animals and work tools. Within the category of the Bifolchi there are the Shepherds who can have sheep, lambs and goats with them. Their chariot depicts the characteristic hut complete with all the objects necessary to represent the hard life of the shepherds or some stages of their work.
Villani, 1
The Villani bring together the farmers who do all kinds of work. It is a composite category that includes five subcategories: the Sementerelli, the Spades, the Mowers, the Reapers and the Fountains, that is, the wagons of the Villani, so called because they are often enriched with water paws. They are towed by hand or by mechanical means or carried on the shoulder. Embellished with flowers and local greenery, they show the beginnings of the work (fruits, vegetables, vegetables), variously and picturesquely arranged, miniature depictions of the country works, reproductions of the various crops and cycles of oil, wine and bread, ancient tools and agricultural utensils.
fishermen
This is followed by fishermen who bring on offer the fish of the lake, of all sizes and varieties, suitably arranged on wagons and boats reproduced in scale or hanging from pertics. Tools and fishing nets of various types are brought by the various components of the category or are expertly used to decorate wagons and boats.
How does the party work?
At about 4 am, the figure of the "tambourine" passes through the streets of the village, which with its drum passes to wake up the People of Marta. For those who did not know, more than once the interesting actors, the Martani, who prepared their "wagons" found themselves going to sleep just as the drum passed to wake them up. In the heart of the celebration, all the completed wagons and all the Martani prepare to parade and reach the Madonna del Monte, a church that is above the village.
Arriving at the mountain is expected until the moment of the three laps, a ritual where the Martani who "pass" I must bring a gift to Our Lady. The order of entry into the church is the same as the parade. The tour part of the outside of the church, the place where the wagons are parked, then passes through the cloister and you arrive inside the church. There are three laps in total and while walking, all martani sing Marian chants. After the laps, the lords of the categories give passers-by (those who pass) a commemorative (inedible) donut. At the end the procession starts again to reach the main square of Marta where the parish priest give the blessing to all passers-by and all those present. The socio-cultural peculiarity of these moments is the silence broken by the songs of passers-by who united under the veil of the Virgin Mary, every year prepare for whole months for this day.
The party ends with singing:
Long live Mary
Praise be to the Blessed Sacrament
Long live our Most Holy Lady of Mount
Long live Jesus and Mary
If you want more information we leave you a couple of useful links:
