Hotels full, faithful and tourists in the square. A festive crowd accompanied yesterday and will do so again today the celebrations for the 635th edition of the Festa della Bruna. The festival is without a doubt an event not to be missed, a journey into the beating heart of an extraordinary city that has long been under the international spotlight.
The program at dawn
It starts this morning, at the first light of dawn, at 4, with the procession of the Shepherds from the Cathedral Basilica to the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi. Then the mass with the archbishop, while the city is lit up for the celebration, among stalls, on the road shows and the passage of the knights and flag-wavers. Then the gathering of the first group of Knights. A blare of trumpets will welcome the Trumpeter, the Standard Bearer and the Vice General. The group from via Marconi will reach the General for the ritual dressing, at Palazzo Lanfranchi. The “Orchestra di fiati Città di Grottole” will tour the city from morning until evening.
The procession
At 5 pm at the end of the procession the Sacred Image of Maria SS. della Bruna will be carried in procession to the Piazzetta del Carro Trionfale and placed on the throne of the papier-mâché artifact. In the evening in Piazza Duomo the traditional “stratto” of the cart will take place, a majestic baroque papier-mâché machine pulled by eight mules for over 330 years on July 2nd carries the Protector of Matera in triumph.
Before seeing the assault on the throne, the Madonna will make three laps around the square, in symbolism it means that in this way she takes possession of the city, protects it. The work, this year created by the artist Francesca Cascione, was blessed in recent days by the archbishop of Matera and Irsina, Monsignor Caiazzo.
Tourists and the curious
Like every year Matera parade party welcomes thousands of tourists, hotels this year have been fully booked since the first months of the year for July and not by chance. Because the patronal festival has taken on such importance that it is also a real tourist attraction. Just think that there are tour operator packages that offer not only the usual tour in the Sassi, but also the event itself which is halfway between religious worship and folkloristic rites. Just think that the cart has its roots in ancient baroque machines.
