During the year, there are vaious feasts and festivals in Mamoiada.
Among them there are an exhibition of agro-alimentary products and
objects of local craftsmanship, and various religious celebrations in
honour of S.Sebastiano, N.S. del Carmelo and the Madonna della Neve.
But the major events are the celebrations for S. Antonio Abate (Jan 16-17)
and SS. Cosimo e Damiano (July-September), as well as the Carnival of
which more will be said further on. The celebration to honour S. Antonio
Abate, which originates in remote times as a propitiatory rite for the
new agricultural season, begins on the evening of Jan 16 - Sa die de su
Pesperu - with a ceremony during which a bonfire outside the parochial
church is lit and blessed.
The worshippers circle round the fire three
times reciting the "Credo". It is tradition to honour the saint by using
a brand from the bonfire to light smaller ones in each neighbourhood.
All night long and the two following days, the local community gathers
around the bonfires where sweets and wine
are offered to the citizens and to the many visitors. It is on this
occasion that the Mamuthones and Issohadores make their first outing of
the year.
They dance round the bonfires, then march through the village
streets, visiting all neighbourhoods. The celebration of SS. Cosino,
representing the end of the agrarian year, is held in the homonimous
country sanctuary with religious, musical and folkloric manifestations
from July to September 27, the last day of the festival.
The sanctuary
is surrounded by some 50 "humbessias", rustic dwellings built to house
the pilgrims who gather around the church during the three summer months
to relax and attend the novena.
