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Religious
calendar |
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June
24 (St. John the Baptist): little girls went to
the church of St. Michael the Archangel to “baptize”
their dolls, escorted by boys chosen to act as godfathers
for the dolls.
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July
2 (Our Lady of Graces, observed nowadays on May
31): procession, coinciding with the ending of the harvest. |
August
15 (the Assumption): procession. The Assumption
was venerated also as Our Lady of the shepherds and coincided
with the shifting of the shepherds from one master to another. |
| August
31 (St. Lucy): procession. |
| September
1 (St. Canio): procession dedicated to the patron
saint. |
| September
7 (S. Vitus): procession. |
| September
8 (Immaculate Conception): procession. Without exception
the most heartfelt feast in Calitri. In the past, baskets
containing wheat corn were carried on the head into the church
as tokens of great devotion. |
| September
29: (St. Michael Archangel): pilgrimage to the Saint’s
sanctuary in Monticchio (PZ). In the past, owing to the great
devotion for the Saint, besides the Brotherhoods of the Immaculate
Conception and St. Canio (the latter no longer extant), there
was a third one, that of St. Michael, whose symbol was the
white color. |
| First
Sunday in October: feast (and farmers’ fair)
of Our Lady of the Rosary which, because it coincided with
the end of the harvest, allowed for the trading of livestock,
farm implements and clothing. This refrain was popular: “Lady
of the Rosary, what are you doing under that banner? How beautiful
and glowing you are, Madonna of the Crosses!” |
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November
1 and 2: (All Saints and All Souls day): visit to
the cemetery and (on November 1) procession for alms gathering
by the Brotherhood of Saint Michael. In the past, for this
occasion, large amounts of legumes were cooked for distribution
among the poor. The Brothers, going from door to door holding
a pot would chant: “Boiled corn kernels for the souls
of the dead”.  |
| December
8: feast of the Immaculate Conception. |
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December 13 (St. Lucy): a feast repeated
August 1. Formerly, slide contests were organized, consisting
of sliding on the tufaceous soil on the south-eastern slope
of Mt. Calvary. The contests lasted the whole day.
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| December
25 (Christmas): a tradition started in recent years
features “live” crèches in the streets
of the older section of town. In years past, a burning log
was left in the fireplace to keep Baby Jesus warm. |
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Hale
Bopp comet over Calitri |
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