The Varia of Palmi (Reggio Calabria)

Dedicated to the Madonna della Sacra Lettera (the Madonna of the Sacred Letter, a cult which originated in Messina), the Varia of Palmi was built in imitation of that of Messina to depict the Assumption of Mary into heaven. In the past, the procession of the Vara had spread to other towns in the Province of Reggio Calabria, such as Seminara, Rosario and Polistena. The Varia of Palmi is a great scenic wagon which is sixteen metres tall and weighs two hundred quintals. At its highest point of the structure is the Eternal Father who supports the Madonna (called l’animella). The “machine” is carried on the shoulders of the representatives of the different categories of workers in a procession that takes place on the last Sunday of August. The inhabitants of Palmi, even today, unlike Messina, retain the habit of entrusting people living with the roles of Jesus and the Soul of Mary. Palmi has also taken the tradition of Giants from the town on the other side of the strait: two huge puppets that have the same names as their Sicilian ancestors, Mata and Grifone.