COMUNICATO STAMPA (1/07/2015)
Giovedì 2 luglio a Loano si terrà la tradizionale festa religiosa dedicata alla Our Lady of the Visitation, organized by the Brotherhood SS. Rosary (Cappe Turchine) under the auspices of the’Department of Tourism, Culture and Sports of the City of Loano.
From 8:30 pm, nelle vie del centro si svolgerà la processione che vedrà sfilare le confraternities from all over Liguria. La confraternita delle Turchine Hoods fa rivivere ogni anno questa ricorrenza religiosa, molto sentita dai loanesi. Le origini della festa del 2 luglio risalgono al 1637: On the night between July 1 and July 2, on the horizon of Loano ships of Barbary pirates appeared ready to put the city to the sword. The inhabitants, realizing the impending danger, commended themselves to Our Lady of the Visitation and went out in procession with torches, candles, banners and crucifixes. In the night darkness that movement of lights and banners frightened the pirates, who mistakenly believed they were facing a defensive garrison, so they gave up the attack. From then on July 2 for Loano Is a day of celebration.
La July 2 holiday èanche chiamata la Sea Festival, because on this occasion the sculptural group representing the Our Lady of the Visitation, carried on the shoulder by the confraternity of the Blue Hats, makes a stop to offer a special tribute to the sea. Ligurian confraternities with their crucifixes, featuring sumptuous decorations, will parade in the procession, and the statuary group depicting the Virgin with St. Elizabeth, St. Joseph and St. Zechariah, covered with the golds donated for grace received or invoked. Luminaries on the window sills of the will welcome the procession in the historic center.
The fraternities will move from Italy Square and through Doria Street they will reach the waterfront.
A first stop will be made at the “Sea workers” cottage, where the bearers will make the first “brassa!”, “issa!”, “brassa!”, repeated three times, to raise high and lower the “cassa” for the “salute”. The second and longer stop will be in Mazzini Square for the “blessing” to the sea. Suggestive more than anything else is the moment when dozens of bearers, arms outstretched in the effort, raise the statuary group above their heads and lower it three times, in the “greeting or blessing to the sea.”, Which is a tribute to those who have lost their lives in the hard work of the sea
Dopo la benedizione la processione riprenderà il cammino per le vie del centro storico per tornare in piazza Italia.
