The Lilies of Nola
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Far in Naples around 30 Km and attainable through the highway Naples-Bari, Nola and' one of the more towns' famous of the Midday.
Of its secular traditions are witnesses of it the Cathedral, in neoclassic style, the fourteenth-century churches of S.Felice and S.Biagio (said of the Mercy), the sixteenth-century buildings Sheafs and Orsini.
Among the historical characters that have had somehow relationships with Nola, we remember: Bruno Jordan, been born in this earth, you/he/she died in Rome burnt alive to Field de' Flowers (XVI Secolo); Pomponio de' Algerio, also he been born to Nola died in Rome in a boiler of hot oil because' Lutheran (XV century); the emperor Ottaviano Augusto quì wanted to die, in the house that was' of its ancestors.(14 B.C.).
But the character that you/he/she is remembered with more solemnities' and' surely S.Paolino (Ponzo Meropio Paolino 353-431 d.cs.) what a fù Bishop to Nola. To Him and' devoted the party of the Lilies and to Him and' attributed the invention of the bells (said Nolae or Campanae).
The party of the Lilies has origin the one year-old 26 June not specified of the V° century.
In that day S.Paolino returned from Africa after having ransomed with his/her person the last hostage, the child of a widow, that was still in the hands of the bandits. The others you/he/she had ransomed them giving all of his/her goods.
You/he/she was welcomed on the beach of Oplonti (today Announced Tower) by the people nolano with in head the gonfalonis of the guilds of works. Among the hands people brought picked flowers (lilies) in the countries.
Perhaps already' from the following year he repeats' the event to remember the heroic gesture of the Saint.
With to pass of the years and of the centuries the lilies you/they were brought at first on woods, then on biers therefore on towers in wood so tall that toward the XVII century the Bishop and' forced to give its benediction in plaza because' too much tall to bring her in the Cathedral. You arrives so to our days, with towers in wood tall also 30 meters covered of cartapesta, that develops historical themes, religious or of actuality.'
The number of the lilies and' eight, in memory of the number of delegates that S.Paolinos welcomed, and I am: Ortolano, Salumiere, Inn-keeper, Baker, Boat (with above S.Paolino and "or' Turkish" that I accompany' the Saint in country), Butcher, Cobbler, Blacksmith, Tailor.
The "dance" of the lilies he effects on June 22, if Domenica or the following Domenica. We now examine in the details her
The feast of the Lilies
The party for the following year already begins on following Sundays to June 22. You/he/she is assigned in this day the Lily to the new one "Teacher of Party" that and' the representative of one of the eight guilds. He will undertake' of the construction of the Lily (submitted to families of the place that the constructive secrets of father are handed down in child) and it will choose the "Head Paranza" that and' the character that drives her/it "Paranza" that it transports the Lily. The "Paranza" and' a group of over 200 people that to rotation of 150 they lift the shoulder lily. They are prepared around 4 sides in parallel file. I strive him/it and' notable, but you/he/she is overcome by the wish' and from the devotion.
The procedure for the preparation of the Lily foresees various phases that are taken place during the year:
'To Hunting party: procession with fanfare that unthreads for the roads with the new teacher of party.
'To Deposit: sum of money that him from to the second-rate musician that will play on the lily, to the builders, to the representatives of the paranza from the Teacher of Party.
I Exchange him/it: delivery of the Flag from the old Teacher of Party to the new one.
'To Tavuliata: constitution of the committee that will provide' to the expenses of construction of the Lily.
'To Song: presentation of the musical motive that will accompany' the Lily.
Aizata d '' to it hems :
important moment of the construction in wood, happens to the beginnings of June. It foresees the construction of the I° Borda, that and' the pole that constitutes the backbone of the Lily (25 mt). You proceeds with the realization of the base formed by 4 feet by 20x20 tall cms 3 mt and wide 2.60 mt. Then the 6 pieces of the prospectus from 3.90mt, 3.70mt, 3.50mt, 3.30mt, 3.10mt, 3mt. You reaches so' a height of around 25mt and a weight of around 30 quintals.
'Or juorno ca' if they try 'and shoulders: the Lily is brought by the place of construction to the house of the Teacher of Party. In this way the are also tried "paranze."
'To dresses nova: and' the operation that foresees the application of the decorations in cartapesta.
'Or holy pe' streets: procession with the bust in silver of the saint.
'To magic evening: And' the Saturday that precedes the day of the "danced of the lilies." The promoting committees unthread for the roads with the official uniform.
You comes then to :
'Or juorno cchiu' beautiful
We have reached the Domenica.
The day begins to the 9 of the morning with the celebration of the S.Messa next to the lilies. Then the men of the paranza take place under the base inserting some bars of various lengths (up to 6mt) with a thickness of 12cm. From the house of the "Teacher of party" you/they are brought in Plaza of the Cathedral.
Here the Bishop, in procession with the bust of the Saint and the gonfalonis of the eight confederations, it blesses the Lilies and, after a brief discourse, it reenters in the Cathedral.
After a brief standstill for the lunch him from the away to the ballad of the lilies.
From the plaza of the Cathedral the lily of the ORTOLANO, follows in order from SALUMIERE, Inn-keeper, Baker, Boat, Butcher, Cobbler, Blacksmith, Tailor, begins his/her turn for the streets of the city.'
The followed run and' the same from centuries and it foresees various tests that put in prominence the qualities' of the paranza driven from it trains him' of the head paranza. Along the run various standstills are made for making to rest the paranza and to allow the change of the men. They make various turns to 360°, he does "Paranza (move of the lily) to the right and to the left it makes him jolt the gilgio one, or twice, and, important test, to the cry "cuoncio cuoncio and jetta" of the capoparanza, he allows to fall to the ground the lily trying to make to wave the point of the same the less possible.
From these behaviors the judges of competition disseminated along the run, appraise and they vote.
Work and effort are enormous. But the men of the paranza succeed even in singing while they are transporting the lily. You proceeds therefore for Street S.Felice making various standstills, while the second-rate musician sing the song of the lily and other Neapolitan songs.
Reaches the intersection with Street Senator Cocozza, (seen by the tall one) he/she meets him the first difficulty.' To cross the intersection men and side bars you/they must be removed because' the point and' very narrow.
You continues for Street A.Leone with songs and dances of the people that it precedes the lily. You comes so in one of the more points' difficult of the whole run: the turn of the Jails.
Here the true one is seen it trains' of the capoparanza to the true strength of the paranza. They begin to see the first signs of the work with the appearance of the due humps to the rubbing of the bars on the neck.
You/he/she must be made to complete to the lily a turn of 180° in a narrow space without making to bump the bars against the wall that and' is, for the occasion, white's painting to underline possible "touches."
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A passage effected without bumps the exultation of the men of the paranza is worth.
You proceeds for Street Meriliani and Street Tansillo. Here he stops up to arrive of all the lilies in tail.
You ripercorre Street S.Felice in the inverse sense to the precedent, therefore for Street S.Paolino he reaches M.G.Marcello Plaza.
A brief standstill and he leave again for the last test: Vico Piciocchi.
The men are exhausted, but it need to overcome this alley without standstill, without bars and side men, otherwise everything and' is useless.
Many lilies are tilted during the run, someone massive also the mouldings of the adjacent buildings, but doesn't need to stay for any motive!
Old this last obstacle, the lily brings him in plaza of the Cathedral or him he leaves at the Street T.Vitale.
To the passage of the last lily, that of the Tailor, is later around the eight of the morning of the day.
But the party continues later the day with:
'To rubbed: men and women not of paranza, stisciano the lilies left T.Vitale to street up to plaza of the Cathedral.
'Or hit 'and core: after some days of standstill in plaza, the lilies are stripped some coverings and gotten off.
But not there and' time for the regrets, I am already' assigns the lilies of the new year to the teachers of party: people prepare him to the festaggiamentis. ......
GONFALONI
