The cult of Saint Oronzo and the devotion of the people of Ostuni
Saint Oronzo in Ostuni. In the history of any civilised people, a town, be it large or small, celebrates its most important personage for his or her merits, whether a saint, a leader, a politician, a poet or a writer.
In Ostuni’s main square, the most significant Baroque monument stands out: the spire, column or obelisk in honour of the patron saint, Oronzo, which acts as a traffic island for those heading towards the Borgo Medievale and the adjacent streets. At the top of the column there is the statue of the saint, dressed in his vestments, with his right hand raised in the act of blessing the city and in his left hand the Gospel and the crosier.
In 1656, the saint warded off a deadly disease, the plague, which was claiming thousands of victims throughout southern Italy, but Ostuni was spared. A popular legend claims to have seen the saint ploughing through leaden clouds in the guise of an old woman driving away demons, a scene described in a painting on the so-called “plague stone” that was built in devotion to the saint. Historians of the time said that perfumed pills and special medicines were used to fight the curse, and in Ostuni the lime was used to whitewash the houses, roofs and even the doors (since then Ostuni has been called ‘the white town’). In honour of the patron saint, on 25th, 26th and 27th of August, Ostuni’s most eagerly awaited festival takes place, and the so-called ‘Cavalcade of St. Oronzo’, originally called the ‘Cavalcade of the Devotees’,is a moment of the ceremony that stimulates faith, but also the curiosity of thousands of spectators from neighbouring towns and tourists.
A procession of horses and horsemen, dressed up for the occasion, parade through the streets of the town, escorting the statue of saint Oronzo. The cavalcade dates back to 1657, when every 26th August the people of Ostuni went in procession to the sanctuary built in his honour. Many local families devoted themselves to dressing the horse every year since that year, it is a real ritual. One of the most important decorations is the cloak, rigorously embroidered by hand, with painstaking patience. The rider also wears a uniform, with a tunic that echoes the embroidery on the cloak, and white trousers. Horses and riders wait for the statue of the Saint to leave the Cathedral. The statue is preceded by the Bishop with the prelates of the diocese and some local authorities. The procession is opened by a trio of musicians, who perform an ancient refrain. At the end of the ride, in Piazza della Libertà, operatic and symphonic pieces are performed by an orchestra, all framed by the ever-present decorative street lights. Last but not least, the celebrations end with wonderful fireworks.
