The Festa di Santa Rosa is one of the defining characteristics of Viterbo. A huge part of that celebration, both figuratively and literally, is the Macchina di Santa Rosa. For over 750 years, there has been an unbroken tradition of a procession through the city in honor of Santa Rosa, the patron saint of the city.
The celebration this year began around 6 pm. However, the first people were taking up their positions along the route to secure a good vantage point some 12 hours before that. When I ventured out shortly after 6 am they were already in place. Eventually people line the entire 2 km route some 3-6 deep. There are also reviewing stands at each of the stopping points along the route with a seating capacity of at least 1000 persons per stop. In the main piazza, there is seating for over 2000 people. Tens of thousands of people come to watch the spectacle.
The first stage of the parade this year began with the marching bands and costumed groups that were to have marched the previous evening, but who were rained out.
In truth, the entire event was almost rained out last night as well. Between the evening marching and the main event, there were several periods of light showers. The transport of the macchina is already dangerous enough without the hazard of rain. However, the forecast for the next day was substantially worse and the show MUST go on, so even the weather-wimpy Viterbese had to go for it.
The macchina is carried by the facchini or porters. There were 190 facchini this year. As darkness is falling they march through the city, ending at the Porta Romana where the macchina is constructed each year.
These men are local heroes. There is a museum dedicated to them and they even have their own social club nearby in San Pelligrino. They are Viterbese through and through; their families have lived here for generations. Beyond that significant barrier is the requirement that they fall within a very narrow range of heights so that they can work together to carry the macchina. It isn’t a game, accidents do happen. When a 6 ton tower comes crashing down, people can die. In recognition of that, the facchini are given the last rites prior to the start of their labor.
Once it is fully dark, around 9 pm, the lights along Via Garibaldi go dark and the crowd gives out a cheer.
Then the lights on Via Cavour are also turned off, including all of the lights in shops and private homes. The macchina is HUGE. It stands some 100 feet tall; easily twice as tall as any of the buildings it is carried past. Your first glimpse of it is just the top, peeking above the buildings in the distance. The tower is redesigned periodically. The tower used now was put into service in 2009 and is called Fiori del Cielo or flower of the sky. In addition to hundreds of oil lamps it has computer controlled red LEDs.
The first stop is at the Piazza Fontane Grande. The tower is placed on wooden horses and the facchini are given a rest. Only 110 carry it at any one time and so at each stop fresh legs are added to the mix. In the picture below you can see them rushing in, row by row, to get in place for the next lift.
The rows of 11 men all link arms to provide cohesion and lift with a long beam across their shoulders. As they travel down the road, a group of facchini cordon off an area in front in case the tower should come crashing down.
The entire trip is coordinated by a group of handlers who ring the base, giving instructions and support.
Once the tower had passed our position in the school building, it continued to the Piazza della Plebiscito where it performed a pirouette before being placed on wooden horses for its second rest.
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