Shooting
stars, dancing snakes and street art. There's something
for everyone during the week of August 15th.
Shooting
stars For Italians the world over the night of August
10th is the night of the shooting
stars - or 'tears of Saint Lawrence', as they are
popularly known. However Luigi Foschini, from the
CNR research institute specialising in extraterrestrial
radiation (Tesre) says that due to the earth's orbit
path, peak meteor activity for years has been on
the nights of August 11th and 12th.
A spot of luck as this year both nights fall at
the weekend.
Art
at your feet The beautiful surrounds of the Madonna di
Grazie Sanctuary (in Curtatone, in the province
of Mantua) is the backdrop to an unusual festival.
On August 15th Italy's top 'madonnari'
- the street artists who specialise in pictures
of Our Lady - will gather at the church and astound
all with their faithful reproductions of the world's
most famous religious paintings.
Dramatic dances Of all the traditional festivals organised in
and around the Feast of the Assumption (August 15th-16th)
we recommend you check out one of the many dedicated
to Saint Rocco. Saint Rocco, who is famous
for his miracles, has a large following in the South
of Italy, specially in the Basso Salento area. Celebrations
in honour of the Saint at Torrepaduli Sanctuary,
near Ruffano (Lecce), involve a mixture of the sacred
and profane, with religious processions being followed
by an exuberant dance called the "pizzica-pizzica"
where all members of the community join in the general
frenzy. Saint Rocco is at centre stage in Butera
(Caltanissetta), where an enormous papier-mâché
snake writhes its way through the town - according
to legend a snake was found beside the dead Saint's
bones. Saint Rocco celebrations are also held at
Foglianise (Benevento), Gibellina (Trapani) and
Gioiosa Jonica (Reggio Calabria).
And don't forget to catch the second Palio
of the summer on August 16th in Siena.
Shooting
stars — All you need to know about August's
meteor shower. Sky
Router — An astronomy portal packed with
resources, links, etc. Madonnari
— The official Madonnari website (Italian
only) Back
to school — Learn how to create your own
religious masterpiece in Verona (scroll for the
English version). Saint
Roch — Saint Rocco the healer is celebrated
in Pittsburgh, USA.
If
you wish upon a star... - If you wish upon a
star . . . romantic souls all over Italy will be
looking up on the Feast of Saint Lawrence (August
10th) to view the magnificent meteor
shower known as "the tears of Saint Lawrence"
THE SURVIVOR'S 
Art
at your feet
