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Two important elements in the identity of the Arbëreshe communities: food and wine and religious rituals, this is how San Paolo Albanese celebrates the Year of Roots.
On 14 September, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated in San Paolo, to which is linked, in the Byzantine rite, ‘basil’, an aromatic plant that grew around the relic of the cross and is used in the tray by the priest where the cross is laid. The religious rite is thus flanked by the ‘Croce e Basilico’ festival, with the aim of promoting the valorisation and enjoyment of the eco-anthropological heritage of San Paolo Albanese and its Arbëreshe Community.
The event starts in the morning with a guided tour of the Mother Church, the Museum of Arbëreshe Culture and the historic centre, and continues in the afternoon with the lippa game, the conference ‘The Sacred, the Community, the Roots, the Heritage’, followed by dancing, music and tastings of traditional dishes.
Cross and Basil in San Paolo Albanese
Days
14 September 24
14 September 24
Timetable
10:00 - 23:00
Information/To know
Suitable for Everybody
Not wheelchair accessible
Location/The place
Address
San Paolo Albanese, PZ, Italia
How to get there
You can reach San Paolo Albanese: By car: - from the A3 SA-RC motorway, exiting at the Lauria Nord junction and continuing along the Sinnica state road; - from the S.S. 106 state road, at Policoro, exiting at the Sinnica junction. By plane: The nearest airport is Bari Palese, about 160 km from the town. From Bari airport, take the Trenitalia line train in the direction of Metaponto or Reggio Calabria or use the SAI bus services to Policoro
