Gesico, Snail Festival between sacred and profane: against the depopulation of inland areas

The long-awaited appointment with the Snail Festival returns to Gesico again this year, now in its thirty-first edition. The festival, which takes place as tradition dictates during the centuries-old and important Feast of Sant'Amatore (African martyr and bishop), now in its 402nd edition. This year's theme is "The Sacred and the Profane" : a possible recipe against the depopulation of inland areas , and the role the Church can play in supporting local communities.

Friday 13 October, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm in the municipal gym, appointment with the twenty-sixth Snail Race . After the qualifications and the "Sprint Out", the final and the award ceremony for the winners will take place. This is an event for children organized by Pro loco and Figest, in collaboration with Autoscontro Tidu. At 5.30 pm the ceremony of delivery to the Parish of Santa Giusta of a mosaic depicting Sant'Antioco martyr of Sulcis and some sculptures relating to Sant'Amatore Martyr and African Bishop by the knight Roberto Lai, president of the cultural association of History and Archeology of Sulcis . The authors of the works Giovanni Basciu and Antonio Cauli will be present. At 9.30pm the procession of Sant'Amatore accompanied by Cardinal Arrigo Miglio , the maestro Sandro Frau and the folk groups.

Saturday 14 October, at 3pm in the primary school square, the opening of the Agricultural Fair and Fieralibri . At 3.30 pm inauguration of the canary exhibition curated by the Sardinian Ornithological Association. At 4pm the inauguration of Shardana Beer Brothers with live music, good street food and craft beers. At 4.15pm in the Casa Dessì the Trexenta Medioevale exhibition and guided tours organized by Antes and the Gesico museum system. At 4.30 pm in the municipal gym the inauguration of the snail festival with free tasting of snail-based specialities . The opening of at least one restaurant with a tourist menu is also guaranteed. From 4.30pm the "Passillendi, baddendi and cantendi" event: ethnic music, folklore and dancing in the square and along the party street, with the Trio Banderas of maestro Marcello Caredda. At 9.30pm in Piazza Padre Cuccu the concert created by Giuliano Marongiu “Una Isola in festa” with the participation of Maria Luisa Congiu.

On 15 October 1847 from the Archbishop's Palace of Cagliari Monsignor Emanuele Marongiu Nurra with a short compendium of the Christian Doctrine printed in Italian and Sardinian, addressed "to the venerable Clergy and People of our Dioceses, health and peace in the Lord" said: «Declaratio sermonum tuorum illuminat et intellectum dat parvulis, the declaration of your words enlightens and gives intelligence to the little ones." On Sunday, exactly 176 years after that day, the Missa Sarda will be celebrated in the ancient Sanctuary dedicated to Saint Amatore, bishop and martyr, officiated by Monsignor Gianfranco Zuncheddu. A rite is repeated, which was intended to bring the people closer to the Church and in fact allowed many to understand the true meaning of the evangelical message.

Gesico is one of the eleven "Cities of Italian Snails" and the undisputed Sardinian capital of the snail . Promoted and created by the Pro loco tourist association and the Municipality of Gesico, in collaboration with the Parish, in this edition the Festival presents important innovations: during the celebrations for Saint Amatore, Bishop and African Martyr, an ideal and religious twinning will be sealed between the African martyrs Amatus and Antiochus and the communities of Gesico and Vilassar de Dalt (Catalonia). Furthermore, the opening of at least one refreshment point with a normal and tourist menu is also guaranteed, exceptionally on Sunday morning of 16 October. All the planned activities will remain open throughout Sunday: exhibitions, food and wine fair, stalls with typical products, accessible monuments, games and refreshment points.