The holiday of St. Michael Archangel
The most ancient and respected religious holiday of Castel Madama. The first celebration of St. Michael Archangel was fixed in the documents of the XIVth century. The Archangel was respected as the Saviour and protector of fertility.
We know that the cult of St. Michael derives from other divinities of the mythology procrustean as the Hermes - Mercury, St. Michael Archangel has the analogous function of defence the souls from the assaults of the Evil One and was a guide in the afterlife.
The holiday celebrates twice in a year, in May and in September, and it’s not casual: in May field works begin and in September peasants prepare for the winter.
The procession is led by two historical Confraternity, one of the Suffraggio and the other of Saint Maria. During the procession both Confraternity transport the heavy macchina di San Michele and the big painting with St. Michael Archangel conquering the devil. The procession begins from the principal Church of St. Michael Archangel and reaches the chapel of St. Michael in the public park "Collicelli", where a suggestive open-air ceremony takes place. A lot of people attend to the representation and it seems that a particular atmosphere is breathed in those days.
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