Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary(Hari Raya Santa Maria Diangkat ke Surga) di 🇮🇹 Italia

The Assumption of Mary on August 15th, known in Italy as Ferragosto, is one of the most important holidays in the Italian calendar, blending deep Catholic devotion with ancient summer traditions. The holiday traces its secular roots to the Feriae Augusti, a rest period established by Emperor Augustus in 18 BC, and has been a religious celebration since the seventh century.

Ferragosto effectively shuts down Italy. Factories close for the entire week or even two weeks surrounding the holiday, cities empty as residents flee to the beaches and mountains, and an atmosphere of relaxation and indulgence prevails. The autostrade are clogged with vacationers, and coastal towns and islands swell to many times their usual population.

Religious observances include special Masses and processions honoring the Virgin Mary. In Messina, Sicily, the Vara, a massive float with a rotating structure representing the Assumption, is pulled through the streets by thousands of barefoot devotees. In Sassari, Sardinia, the Discesa dei Candelieri features enormous wooden candlesticks carried through the old town.

The Ferragosto meal is a grand affair centered on seafood and summer produce. Grilled fish, seafood pasta, caprese salad, peaches, and watermelon are staples. Families gather for long outdoor lunches under pergolas or on terraces. Evening fireworks displays light up waterfronts and hilltop towns across the peninsula.

Catholic and Orthodox feast on August 15 celebrating the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven, widely observed as a public holiday across Catholic Europe and Latin America.