Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. Thursday/Sunday 21/25-May-2025.
A weekend of festivities for Maria Ausiliatrice.
Mary, Help of Christians (Latin: Sancta Maria Auxilium Christianorum) is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, based on a devotion now associated with a feast day of the General Roman Calendar on 24 May. John Chrysostom was the first to describe this title, in 345 AD. Don Bosco also propagated the devotion. It is associated with the defense of Christian Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from non-Christians during the Middle Ages. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Help_of_Christians].
A full timetable was posted around the town.
Thursday night we met up with friends for supper at Chirico before strolling to the music venue on the edge of town. Vega80 are four piece band who belted out a succession of ‘80s disco covers with some aplomb. Very professional with video screens showing movies clips of Dirty Dancing and other ‘80s movie classics.
Then it was time for a quick costume change and some smoke machine atmospherics.
It was quite nippy so we didn’t hang around too long. Back in town the usual, very Italian street illuminations were up.
The next morning we got a street marching band as advertised.
Then main event: the evening procession of the BVM. They have moved with the times. Instead of the statue being carried on the shoulders of the faithful she is driven around on an electrified milk float arrangement.
There was a pause in the procession outside San Cataldo across the street.
Then they were off again down our stretch of Corso Umberto and away..
That’s it for another year.
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