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It is tradition on midday of August the 14th, on the vigil of the feast of the Assumption the Te Deum (Latin term for the expression of thanksgiving and exultation), a short religious service is held based upun the singing of a hymn of thanksgiving. The singing of the Te Deum marked with the peeling of all the bells within the Church’s twin steeples accompanied by the firing of a vast array of pyrotechnical display of bravura.
In the late Victorian era in around 1895, a quaint ritual was introduced to this celebratory phase in the festivities. A contraption akin to the elaborate case of grandfather clock topped with a small sarcophagus not much bigger than a Rejency period tea-caddy was placed in the centre of the Church’s parvis. There it stood in all its fin de siécle delicate beauty painted in pastel chalky colours and gilded in pale yellowy gold, with 4 escutcheons resting on the 4 sides of the elongated pedestal. These shields trumpet no warfare but romantically depict floral specimen representing the virtues of Mary, Mother of God. The lilium (‘Lilium Navona’) represents purity. The red rose (‘Genus Rosaceae’) is the symbol of mystic beauty. The blue violets (‘Viola Odorata’)are a nod to Mary’s humility. Lastly, the passion flower (‘Passiflora Incarnata’) is a reminder of Mary’s sorrows in the protracted passion of her son Jesus leading to his crucifixtion.
The interior of the wooden case hides the secret of its leaden counter-balancing mecchanism which continues to add to the resemblance towards the insides of a proper grandfather clock.
At the toll of noon, a black match is burnt thus freeing the mecchanisms on the inside forcing the sarcophagus’ lid to open as the small papier-mâché figure of the Madonnina emerges replicating the idea of Mary ascending to heaven from her earthly sleep. This ritual of almost childlike playfulness has found its place in the people’s hearts, cyclically repeating itself year after year. This festa contraption was the only rite that kept going even during the bleak years of World War II when all had stopped and was silenced. It was akin to an act of defiance with all the innocence and the determined stubborness of children.
This rite survives intact to this day albeit having moved to midday of the actual day of the festa on August 15th. It is a link to the nostalgic past, still a source of fascination and the trigger to jubilant celebrations.
Not even the restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic stopped the sarcophagus from opening to majesty of the little Madonna historically becoming once more harbinger of hope and courage to all of those in whom that little child still thrives.
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