According to legend, in 352 AD, a rich and bored Roman gentleman experienced a vivid dream in which the Virgin Mary told him that a certain hill in Rome would be covered in snow in the morning, and that he should then use his money to build a church on that site. Being that Rome was deep in a steamy ...
The martyrdom of San Lorenzo is celebrated in Rome with fireworks and celebrations throughout the area around his crypt on the Via Tiburtina, where he was killed in 258 AD. The patron saint of librarians, firemen, bakers, and other professions whose jobs involve fire and roasting, San Lorenzo's association with such incendiary professions is certainly a disturbing one -- His ...
It's the summer and in August many Italians are looking forward to Ferragosto which starts on August 15th. It's known as a two-week vacation period with roots in ancient Rome. When Emperor Augustus invented the feriae Augusti to mark the end harvest he also made it a moment that signified a period of well-deserved rest. Later, during the fascist regime, this ...
Lace up those running shoes, get that last swig of water and be sure to get a good stretch in; the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is on again. The Italian branch of the organization hosts a series of events and workshops promoting good health and exercise leading up to a big race in efforts to raise money ...
If you happen to be in Rome on the third day of September, catch the train to Viterbo for the Festa di Santa Rosa, the festival of the city's patron saint. Thousands flock to see one hundred facchini, or strongmen, carry a 90-foot tall, four-ton macchina - an obelisk-shaped statue - of the Santa Rosa through the winding streets of ...
