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 | LA FARADDA DE LI CANDELIERI The descent of the Candelieri or "the great celebration" for the Sassaresi, which falls on the 14th of August (the eve of the mid-August bank holiday), has been celebrated for over 700 years, to renew a vow to Our Lady. This feast is organized by the 9 “Gremi” of the town, the ancient arts and crafts guilds originated in Spain, and each guild will parade along the streets with their own “candeliere”. Acclaimed by the crowd, the huge and multicolour candles leave from Piazza Castello and go down ,dancing with the hectic pace of the pipes and tambourines, along the main road to end inside the church of Santa Maria di Betlem, where they renew the vow. Particular are the ability of the carriers, the richness of the old Spanish costumes and some traditional ceremony.
HISTORY This celebration has been changed over the years, but the object has not changed, it is still a festival in honour of the Vergine Assunta (Our Lady of the Assumption). Since the sixteenth century this celebration has been religious and votive in gratitude to the Virgin for having freed the city of three terrible plagues, the last of which was in 1652. It is important to note that all the plagues ended on the 14th of August. For this reason nowadays this celebration represents a thanksgiving.
THE CANDELIERI The “candelieri” are huge wooden columns, shaped as candles, composed by 3 parts. The base has 4 bats positioned in the shape of a cross to be easier transported. The column (3 metres high), has a diameter of 40 centimetres and weighs 400 kilos. It is decorated with pictures of the Gremio’s Patron Saint or with the work tools. The capital is adorned with multicolour ribbons and flags radial arranged . Each “candeliere” is carried by 8 persons.
Info: www.candelieri.org |
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