SCHEDA

IL COMUNE

 

San Marzano was quite always owned, until the first years of the ‘800, by Albanian descents of the Scanderbergs, keeping, until nowadays the linguistic and cultural traditions.
San Marzano is a little agriculture town on a hill of 134 meters above sea level and 25 km far away from Taranto. There is the production of wine, oil and wheat also thanks to the transformation of the bushwoods into vineyards and olive grapes by the Albanian people some century ago.
At 3 km far away from the town there is the Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie that still has the Incoronazione della Vergine of the end of the ‘600, the frescos of San Giorgio and Santa Barbara of the XIII century and a painting of La Vergine con il bambino of the XI century.
Also smart is the nice Palazzo marchesale, of the XVI century. On the contrary, linked to traditions, is the religious Processione della legna (a procession of the wood) that, every year, is devoted to San Giuseppe, the patron of the town and saint of the carpenters. It is about a popular feast that every spring just makes take place the ancient cult of the fire dedicated to the saint.
The custom of burning bonfires is quite widespread in the province of Taranto, but it is particularly famous in San Marzano. Every year, the believers in queue, on 18th march, with the wood on their shoulders, walk in front of the church of the town where outside there is, for this event, the statue of the saint. To children are expected to traditions: the one of the gives and the one of jumping with both their feet on the fire. After the blessing, the wood is brought away by the believers and put all together. The last loading of the wood is brought by a horse that, just as a greeting to the waking nature, is made knee in front of the statue. At the end, meanwhile the valizie sing the traditional and religious songs, the believers burn the wood. Quite traditional on 19th march also are the mattre, long tables full of food so furnished for devotion or blessings. They are put in private houses or in the main square of the town where, after the priest’s blessing, everyone who is there can taste the food.