Festivities in honour of the Madonna del Ponte
| Cosa | Manifestazione religiosa |
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| Quando | settembre |
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The people of Montorio are quite devoted to this Madonna, who is considered to be the protector of the town and is celebrated every year on her “dies natalis”, the 8th of September.
The painting of the Madonna col Bambino, which is nowadays kept in the small temple built on the bridge in 1872, was already present inside the ancient church 'Cona del Ponte', constructed in an unknown time: it was perhaps constructed in 1537 at the same time as the bridge that was built over the Vomano, or in 1557 when a violent flood blocked the bridge's arch by washing away trunks and effects and flooding the populated area.
Ever since the end of the 19th century it became a custom to organize alongside the festivities the finta battaglia (a simulated battle) between the 'ship' and the fortress to recall when a ship was acquired in Giulianova and carried to Montorio on a cart.
On this occasion a sort of dam was constructed with boards near “Purticille”, the ship was lowered to the “sea” and was used to shoot firecrackers towards the “bulwark”, the ruins of the ancient castle-fortress from which further firecrackers where shot in response.