May is Mary's Month in Italy
The month of May is special time for tributes to the Virgin Mary according to Catholic tradition in Italy. In Umbria, a festive religious hike into the high hills of Umbria, known as the Pasquarella, has become a springtime tradition. Similar pilgrimages take place in other parts of Italy, but this is the only one my feet have travelled (several years, in fact). The term Pasquarella relates to the Epiphany, the first feast celebrated in Catholicism after the new year.
The Pasquarella in Umbria
It's springtime in Umbria (photos were taken a few years before the pandemic). The sun is shining and the green land glows with new vegetation. We've driven out from our little village of Morruzze (central and east part of map) to a major road west in order to find a spot to park among the many cars already lining the narrow road. We're ready to join a procession of people who will walk down to and across the ravine, then up the mountain to the hermitage church. We'll spend some time there, then walk back again, having participated in the Pasquarella. The photo was taken at the outset, from the place we started and looking across the ravine.
Our destination is the sanctuary called Madonna della Pasquarella, located in the Forello gorge. We then joined others walking down the steep path down from the highway's verge. We continued on the path that winds its way up again, across the gorge, and up to the church that sits among rocks and vegetation across the highway.
Sanctuary of the Madonna della Pascuarella
The small church that is our destination dates from the early Middle Ages. It fell to ruins and became the residence of religious hermits, then was restored and re-instated as a parish church in the 19C. It comes alive during this festival.
My photos show that his Pasquarella is a family affair (with baby strollers and grandparents), with stands along the way for treats and trinkets. The goal is to reach the shrine by walking a somewhat arduous path. But there are celebratory aspects to the trek as well. Traditional religious songs marking the occasion are often sung along the path, and we saw musicians performing at the given destination. I've learned that the songs are generally simple ones consisting of sacred praises along with inducements to charity. Not sure why, but often in they are embellished with profane bit. There are the usual wishes for happy holidays and requests for gifts and food. Popular food carts (now trucks) serve the traditional rich and flavourful porchetta (pork) sandwiches well known this region.
Food for Thought: Recipe for Porchetta
Traditionally, porchetta is a roasted pork shoulder flavoured with lots of herbs and spices. You can stuff the roast with roasted peppers, prosciutto, and variants.. While you’re at it, you can hire a truck, take along big white rolls stuffed with some of your great-tasting pochetta, and sell them. You’d be a hit! For more about food in Italy check out
Elizabeth Minchilli's blog, which informs deliciously well about varieties of different local cuisine and restaurants.
The Destination
The church, itself, is a small one, simple as seems fitting in this setting, yet also cared for and inviting, with a worn fresco above the altar It held fewer than 50 people inside when I took this photo. We all sat on wooden benches in this rather lovely little nave.. Some people lit candles outside or inside the church and left; others sat resting or waiting for the mass to begin. We bought an illustrated book commemorating the history of this sanctuary, sat for a while more, then left to resume the down and up walk back to the car.
The tone of the whole event was pleasantly communal and memorable, even during the trek back across the gorge and to our cars, waiting on the highway.
Back home again in Morruzze, after the trek, I filled a jug with roses from the yard. For me, it doesn’t matter if you’re Christian, pagan, or whatever. Making a pilgrimage in honour of spring ,in celebration of life, in tribute to the land itself… seems worth it.
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