Ferragosto, a traditional Italian holiday
Ferragosto is celebrated on August 15 and is one of Italy’s most anticipated holidays, an occasion to gather family and friends and celebrate summer; it has a history rooted in the past and has inspired many artists in the arts and popular culture.
Origin of Ferragosto.
The origin of Ferragosto is linked to ancient Rome: the word is derived from the Latin “feriae Augusti” meaning “Augustus’ rest,” and refers to the festivities that Octavian Augustus, the first Roman emperor, instituted in 18 B.C. to honor the gods and celebrate the abundance of the harvests and the summer break of major agricultural work. This pagan holiday fell at the beginning of August and celebrations continued until mid-month. During the celebrations, games, shows, banquets, and religious rites were held in various cities throughout the Empire.
Around the 7th century, this tradition merged with the Catholic feast of the Assumption of Mary and the date of celebration was moved to August 15.
Ferragosto and Fascism.
Ferragosto, with its Roman origins, lent itself well to being adopted by Mussolini’s fascist regime and transformed into a mass holiday to create a sense of national identity and social cohesion. It was promoted and emphasized as an Italian holiday and a time for collective celebration: August 15 became a day of political mobilization and propaganda, with parades, public demonstrations, and state-organized shows.
The popular tradition of the Ferragosto out-of-town excursion was also born in this period: the regime, in fact, through the after-work associations, organized trips at discounted prices thanks to the institution of the Ferragosto Popular Trains, to offer even the less affluent classes the chance to visit Italian cities or seaside and mountain resorts. The offer was limited to the days of August 13, 14 and 15, and since no food was provided, it gave rise to the tradition of packed lunches.
Ferragosto in music, film, and literature.
As a much-loved holiday celebrated by all Italians, Ferragosto has also left an indelible mark on popular culture.
In 1966 Gianni Morandi, one of Italy’s most famous singer-songwriters, won the Cantagiro (a major summer music event at that time) with the song “Notte di Ferragosto“, an intense tune dedicated to the jealousy caused by a love that is born right on Ferragosto days.
In the world of cinema, Ferragosto has often been depicted as a time of social gathering or adventure. Among the films set on Ferragosto, we mention two, both of which have won major film awards: “Il sorpasso” (1962) directed by Dino Risi, (Bruno casually meets Roberto and drags him along on an adventurous, disruptive and long day), and “Pranzo di Ferragosto” (2008) directed by Gianni Di Gregorio, (Giovanni finds himself acting as a baby-sitter for a group of nice old ladies, in exchange for a modest fee).
Literature has not been outdone, and, in many novels and short stories, Ferragosto serves as a backdrop for the characters’ adventures: ranging from the classic “Scherzi di Ferragosto” one of Moravia’s “Racconti romani“, (the protagonist, left alone in the city, with nothing to do, accepts the invitation of an unsympathetic acquaintance in order to avoid the boredom of the day), to the lighter “Maledetto Ferragosto” a detective story by Renato Olivieri, (Deputy Commissioner Ambrosio finds himself embroiled in a murder case in the middle of the Milanese summer).
Ferragosto events and celebrations.
During the Ferragosto period, numerous events take place all over Italy (musical performances, fireworks, gastronomic festivals, and food fairs…) each with its own style and linked to regional traditions. One of the most famous is the Palio dell’Assunta, held in Siena on August 16: it is one of the most spectacular horse races in Italy, in which ten “contrade” (i.e., the districts into which a city was anciently divided) compete in a race around Piazza del Campo, the heart of the city. The race is broadcasted live on TV each year.
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___ Ferragosto faremo una gita, partiremo ___ macchina o ___ treno e porteremo il necessario per fare un pranzo ___ sacco. Non sappiamo ancora se andremo ___ montagna o ___ mare. In montagna, faremo una passeggiata ___ i boschi e andremo ___ funghi, al mare invece faremo un giro ___ barca ___ vela e ci tufferemo in acqua ___ trampolino.
Porteremo un bel cappello ___ paglia e gli occhiali ___ sole, ma anche una giacca ___ vento, nel caso ci sia qualche ora ___ pioggia.
E tu? Quando parti ___ le vacanze?
2 Responses
Mille grazie. Molto interessante.
Grazie mille!