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Next edition: summer 2010
For further details, have a look on the website www.spelonga.it
For sure one of the most important feasts in the territory of Arquata del Tronto is the “Festa Bella”: the translation of these words means a sort of “beautiful feast”, but there are many things involved in the “Festa Bella” that go beyond the feast... Here are involved, in fact, the sacredness, the religion, the history and the braveness...
The “Festa Bella” is celebrated in Spelonga, the biggest hamlet of the Arquatan territory...We start our trip from the Sant’Agata’s Church, where is conserved the famous Turkish flag, conquered by a group of soldiers from Spelonga who participated to the Lepanto’s navy battle of 1571. This struggling battle has been defined as the “Last Crusade” with the Christian Army winning against the Turkish “infidels”. We are talking about the biggest naval battle of all times... Just to give you an idea, 40000 soldiers died there in one day: 150 soldiers every minute...
148 inhabitants of Spelonga, defined as “axe masters”, participated supplying the wood and building the boats of the Christian Army. They fought as well in the battle as voluntary soldiers, accepting the risks of the sea...
The inhabitants of Spelonga celebrate the bravery of such men in a feast that recalls the bloody battle of Lepanto. The “Festa Bella” takes place every 3 years and requires the men of Spelonga to go for three days through the forests of the Laga Mountains, looking for the tallest tree. Once they find it, they cut it and bring it to Spelonga between chants and dances. Once in the main square, they raise it up (only with ladders and ropes) to make the mainmast of a Turkish ship, that they build then all around. Up on the mainmast they hoist the Turkish flag.
Each day in August is busy with events related to this feast.
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