The Descent of the Candelieri

is indeed a great event of people a rite that is the heart of the identity of Sassari. The event of the middle of August conjugates more the history and the you feel city traditions and it shows the whole religious spirit and goliardico of the soul of Sassari.
The preparation of the event begins the morning of August 14, when the Candeliere of every of the filled is withdrawn by the chapel of the Gremio and duct in front of the residence of the Obriere of Candeliere for the ceremony of taking the habit. From here, around the 16.00, the Candelieri are conducted in the point of assembly, site in the Castle Plaza, where anciently the Aragonese castle rose.

The Faradda takes away the around the 18.30 in the Castle Plaza and has his/her natural theater in the Progress Vittorio Emanuele. Here the Candelieri files following a precise order. For first the Blacksmiths, therefore the Piccapietre, followed by the Wayfarers, Farmers, Carpenters, who works the vegetable garden, Cobblers, Masons, Tailors and finally the Massai. The order of the procession mirrors, in inverse way, the social prestige of the Filled. For last, files the it Filled that they enjoy of greater prestige.

The succession, has suffered besides different changes during the centuries. The Candeliere of the Blacksmiths is inserted only in the procession in 2007, bringing to ten the candles of the demonstration.

The carriers go down along the Course completing their evolutions to the pressing rhythm of the drums and the pipe. Every Candeliere is followed by the Gremio, prepared according to a hierarchical order, to the vertex of which the Most greater Obriere, that brings the standard of the guild are, and the Obriere of Candeliere; brings the small "flag".

To Civic Building, where the ancient Town hall rose, the it Filled they hand their regard to the Mayor making to dance the Candeliere .

During this standstill the meeting happens among the it Filled and the Municipality and it also ends the invesitura of the new Obriere of the Massai, which receives from the Mayor the gonfalone of the city, while the outgoing Obriere takes the standard of the Gremio. The moment of the investiture of the Massai is denominated the intregu. In the rooms of the Civic Building it ends for tradition a toast, and lifting the wine glass the Mayor expresses to the representative of the it Filled the wish "to zent'anni."

Then the Mayor and the city administrators go out of the building of city and they unite him to the procession of the Candelieri. And' in this particular moment that takes place the popular judgment on operates him of the Mayor, that is expressed by the surrounding crowd with applauses or with whistles.

The procession of the Candelieri arrives in late evening near the church of Saint Maria of Bethlehem, in whose church square the other Candelieri dance to their arrival in sign of reverence and regard. To this point it Filled and Candelieri enter Church to loosen the vote. Their entry happens in reverse order rigorously in comparison to the parade.

To welcome the keeper of the Convent is them, that delivers a candle to the Most greater Obriere of the Massai to give to assumes him. Here, inside the church, the carriers make to still turn for three times every Candeliere in honour of the Madonna and then for three times in front of the Mayor. Every Candeliere is finally prepared to make crown around the bier of the Virgo who sleeps. La ceremony it concludes him with the prayer and the benediction of his/her/their father keeper.

At the end of the religious function, the Gremio of the Massai solemnly accompanies the first citizen to Ducal Building, actual century of the Town hall, where it also ends the last phase of the investiture of the new Obriere. Here the representative of the gremio redelivers the town Gonfalone to the authorities, while the mayor entrusts the standard of the Massai to the Obriere that will dress again the charge in the new year.

On August 15, event of the Assunta Saint, the vote is completed with a solemn procession that departs at 19.00 o'clock from the Cathedral of St. Nicola with all the it Filled city and the preserved simulacrum of the sleeping Madonna to the Cathedral.