Between sacred and profane, the Polenta Festival of Villa Santo Stefano (FR) returns to Ciociaria on January 20, 2013.
Returns to Villa Santo Stefano, in Ciociaria, on January 20 the rite of the "feeding of the people", or polenta, a poor and peasant dish as it was made in 1643. Many decades have passed, but the love and dedication of the dishes of once they never fail, especially among those who want to pass on their traditions such as the "Santostefanesi". It was in fact 1643 when for the first time for the occasion of the feast aimed at San Sebastiano, the ancient rite dedicated to offering a hot dish of polenta to the population began. This event still represents today as yesterday a moment of aggregation and rediscovery of their traditions and good food for the Ciociara community.
Paoiolo and ladle in the square and tradition is served!
The Sagra della Polenta, reaches its 38th edition this year and opens as always the "festarolo" year of the proloco. So on January 20 everyone in the square to savor a dish that represents the history of the country from 8 in the morning when the traditional fires for cooking will be lit. Polenta is the peasant food par excellence, it has nourished past generations until not very distant times, it was the main diet of the inhabitants of the town, simple and quick to prepare, it did not require special ingredients but only corn flour and was rarely seasoned with sauce of meat, sausages or vegetables. The preparation requires a refined technique, combined with rather long times. So the "master polentaio" who will work for the festival will be inflexible in granting even just a portion of his "blond treasure" that has at least two hours of boiling.
Who was San Sebastiano who gave rise to the festival? Originally from Narbonne, tribune of the praetorian guards, he suffered martyrdom with arrow shots, during the persecution of Diocletian (304). Survived and cared for by the Roman matron Irene, he was arrested again and died scourged. His body is preserved in Rome in one of the seven minor basilicas, dedicated to him. In the Martyrum Deposit, January 20 is commemorated, a day also preserved in the new liturgical calendar.
Those who want to dedicate some time to discovering the town in the Ciociaria hinterland can visit the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo (Parish Church with three naves in Roman Baroque style from the 700s), the Church of the Madonna dello Spirito Santo (from 1721). , the massive circulating tower of the thirteenth century called Torre di Re Metabo and the war memorial with the splendid panorama overlooking the Amaseno Valley.
There are stands for the food and wine and local crafts market. The festival will be accessible for free from morning to evening.
Event program:
8,30 am lighting of traditional fires for cooking polenta
9,30 am preparation of the sauce by the housewives
9,30 am start of cooking the polenta under the guidance of the master polentaio
11,30 am - Holy mass in honor of San Sebastiano
12,30 start of distribution of polenta with sausages and wine, all while meals are taken.
For information and registration:
Tel.3408505381
prolocovillasantostefano.it