Page 41 - Mediterraneo e dintorni - nr 14

trasporto della “Varia”, tanto che verso la metà del
1600 Mastro Jacopo costruì anche a Palmi un carro
sacro simile a quello messinese.Nel 1872 la Varia fu
abolita ovunque con un decreto prefettizio che la de-
finiva “barbara e incivile”, emanato in conseguenza
delle cronache negative che alcuni corrispondenti

Reliquia capello

nuary 1582, the boat with the relic of the Sacred Hair
landed at the Marinella of Palmi. From that moment
also in the Calabrian city the cult towards the Virgin
of the Sacred Letter was born that became patron and
protector. Her black effigy and that of the Child were
also made, enclosed in a silver manta similar to the gol-
den one of Messina, and numerous inhabitants of Palmi
imposed on their children the name of Littara and Lit-
taru (Letteria and Letterio) as tangible demonstration
of devotion nurtured towards the Virgin. In her honor,
chapels and altars were erected and in the recurrence
of the assumption in heaven solemn processions and
liturgies were bestowed. In 1872 the Varia was aboli-
shed everywhere. In Palmi the tradition was resumed
in 1900, with the “machine” being pushed down. The
marvelous scenic devotional chariot represents the soul
of the Virgin who, having abandoned her body laid in a
“coffin” (Vara or Varia), ascends to heaven.

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