On March 31, 2011 in the Italian town of Pordenone in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northern Italy will be held a unique and colorful event. Rogo de la Vecia is an ancient folklore festival, which is celebrated exactly in the middle of the Lent. Burning of Vecia - so is translated the name of the holiday. Vecia is a giant puppet in the form of an old woman made from papier-mache, which symbolizes both departing winter and everything bad that has happened over the past year. And although the current date of the holiday is tied to the Christian calendar, traditions of Rogo de la Vecia are more than two thousand years old - similar celebrations were held in ancient Rome.
On the day of the holiday celebration events start in the morning, throughout the city are installed colorful pavilions with refreshments and attractions, and in the Old Town, known as Contrada Maggiore, is organized a big fair, where you can buy souvenirs and handicrafts. At the fair are held performances of folk groups and circus troupes. From noon in the central streets of the city will march festive procession, which will carry a Vecia doll. It will finish its way on the square Piazza XX Settembre, where over Vecia will be tried (according to historians this tradition also has its origins in ancient Rome). Actors of L’Rocco theatre dressed in medieval costumes will perform the roles of judges and jurors. During the trial the old woman Vecia will be blamed for all misfortunes of the last year and, despite the defense lawyer, will be sentenced to be burned. At 20.30 on the square it will be executed. All this will be accompanied by musical light show and fireworks.
In addition to the holiday, tourists, who arrived in Pordenone, will be extremely interested in visiting the Cathedral of St. Mark (XIV century), which architecture harmoniously combines Romanesque and Gothic styles, the Town Hall built in 1395, Art gallery, where is kept a rich collection of Italian portrait painters.
Date: 19/03/2011
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