Madonna of Sovereto and the "carro trionfale".
Art, folk-lore at Terlizzi.
Popular traditions are a fascinating chapter of Apulian history. The main festivity is the patron saint one because it
represents the most enigmatic representations of our folk-lore, which religious connotations are given by the devotional
cult of saints and, above all, by "pietas" of the Virgin towards its own ancient icons, venerated under so many different
titles and confused in mystery. Just because it exprimes religious contents, the main dimension of folk-lore is translated
in spectacular events, as cultural melting-pot where all happens according a traditional scheme with an emphasis of
marvellous elements, always present in the hagiography of popular narrations. The cult for the Virgin, at Terlizzi,
puts in evidence the material aspect as, above all, the synergy of the majestic triumphal wagon, 22 metres high,
and as the becoming excited of people during the solemn rite on the first Sunday of August.
Gaetano Valente
Legend of the finding
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Vergine con Bambino |
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La grotta, luogo del ritrovamento |
The procession of the image of the Virgin along the main streets of our city on the Triumphal Wagon, Terlizzesi's pride,
comes from the legend referred to the finding of the imagine of the Virgin. In XI - XII century a shepherd from Bitonto
was pasturing his sheep at "Bosco del Suvro", near the main street of Sovero.
In Spring, during the pasture, the shepherd
noticed that one of his sheep had a hoof driven in a hole. After having freed the sheep, he noticed that in the hole
there was a light. He discovered a little cave and, in the bottom, a board with an imagine of the Virgin with Child
painted on. Near there was the light. In the place of the finding,
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Raffigurazione della leggenda del ritrovamento |
lots of people arrived, both from Bitonto, and
from terlizzi. All wanted to appropriate of the icon to venerate it. To avoid contestations they decided to put the
imagine on a cart hauled by two oxen. Terlizzesi' s ox blinded with a butt the left eye of the other ox, obliging it to
go toward its cowshed: to Terlizzi. Terlizzesi attributed to this event a divine meaning.
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Posizionamento dell'icona sul carro |
When the cart arrived at
Terlizzi with the image of the Virgin, all people was celebrating. From that time, Terlizzesi started to consider the
effigy of the Virgin as their Patron, celebrating and taking her along the streets of the city on a wagon.
This wagon has reached great dimensions, almost 23 metres. Actually, to remember those events, Terlizzesi celebrate in
two different moments the Virgin:
- on 23rd April of every year taking her in pilgrimage to Sovereto, place of the fiding, where a church was built;
- on the 1st Sunday of August during which the patron of the city id put on the Triumphal Wagon, rebuilt for the occasion, and taken in procession along the main streets of the city.
CALENDAR OF MANIFESTATIONS to celebrate the devotion of Terlizzi for Maria S.S. of Sovereto.
The program of celebrations that the Committee organizes, previews some basilar dates.
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16th of April: |
14.00 (2.00 pm) Exhibition in the Cathedral of the icon of the Madonna of Sovereto with solemn
Vestments for a week and celebrations of religious rites. It' s exciting to assist to the
opening of the Church when thousands of people try to go in for first to ask for help for the
material necessities of life. Invocations, shouts of sorrow, cryings, show the faith of people.
More exciting is the moment of the entering of the shepherd with his sheep, of the Committee and
of the musical band that plays religious hymns.
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23th of April: |
Transportation of the icon of the Virgin from Terlizzi to Sovereto. After the celebration of the rite in the
Cathedral by the Bishop, the procession goes to the old church of Stella where the icon is undressed of solemn
vestments and of ex voto to restart the procession toward Sovereto. Then, it'll be put on the place of the
finding until the first Saturday of August. During all this period the Sanctuary of Sovereto is point of pilgrimage. |
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July: |
In the first days of July, the members of the Committee start the reconstruction of the wagon, the
Triumphal Wagon for the procession. |
FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST
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Thursday: |
It' s the moment during which the celebrations start. The meeting at the celebration is by than a tradition.
In fact there' s a promise among Terlizzesi : " See you at the next celebration!" . And it happens.
On Thursday afternoon at 18.00 (6.00 pm) there' s the
" TRAETE ´NNANZE " of the wagon that will be taken at
the start of Viale Roma. |
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Saturday: |
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Comitato Feste Patronali 2003 |
in the dark Terlizzesi, always in procession, take the icon of the Virgin to the Cathedral again and they prepare
themselves for the Sunday. |
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Sunday: | Parade of the Triumphal Wagon along the streets. You can appreciate the wonderfulness downloading
the documentary film in this same web page (here)
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