Messina: "La Vara di Messina, a 500-year history of faith", the 2023 edition programming comes to life

Messina: "La Vara di Messina, a 500-year history of faith", the 2023 edition programming comes to life.

The August Messinese event program, promoted by the municipal administration, as part of the initiatives in honor of the Madonna Assunta which culminate in the traditional Procession of the Vara on 15 August, began with appointments dedicated to the transport, placement and following the blessing of the Vara stone in Piazza Castronovo, until the transfer of the two Votive Candles from the Barette church to their placement in the atrium of Palazzo Zanca.

The calendar of events dedicated to Vara also includes appointments in Piazza Unione Europea, as part of the event called “Where once stood the theater of the twelve thousand”, which opened last Saturday 5 August with “Messina in festa sul Mare” dedicated to the historical re-enactment of the landing of Don Giovanni of Austria, in addition to the two competitions respectively, “Decorated balconies in honor of the Vara di Maria Assunta, organized by the historical group - the cultural one of the Vara dell'Assunta and the Giants and the photographic one "La Vara di Messina" of the "Messina Sacra" Association. Friday August 11, at 11 am, at the Palacultura (Sala Rappazzo), the conference entitled “A Colorful Party, in the footsteps of Franz Riccobono” will be held, organized by the Friends of the “Franz Riccobono” Museum Association of the Italian Catelli Institute; from 17pm to 19pm, in Rocca Guelfonia (Christ the King), last day dedicated to the iconographic exhibition of the Franz Riccobono collection entitled "L'AUGUST MESSINESE", again organized in collaboration with the Friends of the "Franz Riccobono" Museum Association. It will follow in the same location, at 19 pm, "Cuntu dei Giganti di Messina", a medieval-style narration on the true story of the Giant and the Giantess who founded Messina, recovered from the chronicles and recalled in the evocative setting of the Matagriffone castle, an initiative carried out in collaboration with the The Association of Friends of the “Franz Riccobono” Museum and the Renaissance Arms Company of the Star, curated by the historian Daniele Ferrara. Finally, at 21pm, the Cathedral Concert entitled “Ascensio Marie Virginis” will be held: music from the 600th century by the APS Ludus Orionis, performed by Giovanni Lombardo with Giannalisa Arena on the organ.

Since Friday 11am until Monday 14th August, from 10am to 12pm and from 17pm to 19pm, the exhibition “Vara and Giants, of the Friends of the Franz Riccobono Museum” will be held at the Palacultura.

An intense day of appointments too Saturday August 12, already at 7, we will proceed with the transfer of the Giants and the camel from the Upper Camaro to the Lower Camaro; while from 18pm to 20pm, at the Montevergine Monastery, the "Dormitio" exhibition will be held, accompanied by illustrative panels of the historical and religious aspects of the simulacrum, organized by the "Messina Sacra" Cultural Association. Finally, at 19 pm, the prayer of the First Vespers and the Marian Vigil, initiatives animated by the Poor Clares and presided over by the Chaplain of Vara, Father Antonello Angemi.

Sunday August 13st, at 7 am, another transfer of the Giants and the camel, this time from Camaro Inferiore to Piazza Unione Europea. From 9.30 to 12.30 and from 18 to 20, the visit to the "Dormitio" will take place at the Montevergine Monastery; while at 10.30 the Eucharistic Celebration will be held, again at the Monastery; in the evening at 19pm. space for the prayer of Second Vespers and the novena in preparation for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, always animated by the Poor Clares; at 21pm, in Piazza Unione Europea, it will be time for "In Festa with the Giants", traditional songs and dances, a folk show by the Messina folk groups "Mata e Grifone", "La Madonnina", "I Cariddi", “Sicilian Together” and “Cantusrittu”.

On the eve of Ferragosto, Monday 14th, at Palazzo Zanca, at 18.30 pm, the awards ceremony for the "Decorated Balconies in honor of the Vara di Maria Assunta" competitions will be held “The Vara of Messina”; followed at 19pm, the moment dedicated to the departure of the Historical Cero and the Cero of S. Maria della Lettera from Palazzo Zanca towards Piazza Castronovo, from where at 19.45pm, the Holy Rosary will be recited, while at 20.30pm, at the foot of the Vara, the 'Archbishop Mons. Giovanni Accolla will preside over the Eucharistic Celebration. Finally, at 21pm, the Walk of the Giants and the Camel departing from Piazza Unione Europea to Viale Giostra and returning, accompanied by the Folk Groups “Mata e Grifone”, “La Madonnina”, '| Cariddi”, “Insieme Siciliano” and “|Cantusrittu”; and again at 21pm, in Piazza Unione Europea, Cunti mediterranei" by and with the "cuntastorie" Gaspare Balsamo, organized by the Mobilità delle Arti cultural centre.

Wednesday 15 August, the day of the Procession of the Vara, "A 500-year history of faith", as the program of events headlines, an intense day full of rituals in full respect of the tradition and devotion of the people of Messina to the Madonna Assunta. The long day of Ferragosto will begin at 07.00 with the laying out of the ropes and the tying to the Vara stone; at 9 am, it will be the turn of 21 cannon shots to be fired from Fort San Salvatore; while from 11am to 17pm, in Largo Minutoli, by the Post Office of Poste Italiane and in collaboration with the Peloritano Philatelic Club and the Municipality of Messina, the special cancellation on the postcard depicting the Flagship of MSC World Europa will be held next to the Vara, which for the occasion will remain in port until the late evening of August. At 11 am, in the Cathedral Basilica, the Solemn Pontifical presided over by Archbishop Monsignor Giovanni Accolla, while at 17.30 pm, in Piazza Castronovo the recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin and, following this, at the foot of the Vara the mezzo-soprano Samantha Accept will sing the Ave Schubert's Mary; at 18.15 pm the traditional moment of the blessing of the ropes will take place; and at 18.30pm, the solemn moment of the official departure of the Vara from Piazza Castronovo, accompanied by battery shots and the throwing of notes. Along the route of the Procession the "salve a giorno" will be fired at the moment of the stop of the votive machine in front of the Prefecture, in Piazza Unione Europea and in Piazza Duomo, where the Vara will conclude its journey with the greeting and blessing of the Archbishop, who will hold the Eucharistic Celebration in the Cathedral. At 23pm, the final moment of August 15th, with the eagerly awaited display of fireworks from the Madonnina del Porto, organized by the "Pirolandia" company and offered by the Caronte&Tourist Group.