The inhabitants of Pozzuoli are very attached to the Marian cult; we find a statue of the Madonna even in the main square. The inhabitants are especially devoted to the worship of the Our Lady of the Assumption.

Being in Pozzuoli, on August 15 you will experience one of the most traditional and important festivals for the life of the city where fishermen are the protagonists. Unfortunately, the festival will not take place again this year, but let's find out together how it is usually held.

Celebrating Our Lady of the Assumption with the fishermen of Pozzuoli.

If you want to experience Pozzuoli as its people do, you cannot miss the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption and watch the Pennone race. Thanks to Paolo Visone in 2010, shots of this feast have made their way to in Houston on display.

The feast of the Pennon at sea takes place on August 15 in Pozzuoli in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption and is a popular event with the townspeople.

The masses of the Novenary Walk, the period leading up to the Solemnity of the Assumption and preparing for the event, begin on August 6.

History of the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption

In ancient times it took place in the Galleon, a small body of water where fishermen's boats are now moored. A fast was planned for the previous day and only bread and melon were allowed to be eaten.

On the occasion of the feast, Puteolians also repainted their houses to present themselves to Our Lady in the best way. These two traditions were lost after the earthquakes of '70, '80 and '83, which forced many residents to abandon their homes in order to live elsewhere.

History of the flagpole race

Fishermen tell of a boat that was at the mercy of the waves during a swell. Things at one point got very bad for the boat: the mast of the boat broke and went over the cliff. The sailors were saved precisely by walking on the mast as is done during the race with the help of Our Lady of the Assumption.

The Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption

The day begins with the 7 a.m. Mass, which will be the first of the uninterrupted Masses until lunchtime.

In the early afternoon, before the race, the fishermen go to pray at a seventeenth-century church, the Church of the Assumption at Sea, dedicated to the purification of Mary.

In the church dating back to 1621, participants are blessed by the pastor, who punctually recommends caution to participants but also to live the moment with joy.

The Pennon race

Now, the race is held at the Caligolian Pier.

During the festival, fishermen compete to retrieve flags placed on top of a wooden flagpole. The flagpole is the horizontal antenna to which the top side of the square sails is inferred, and to prepare it for the competition it is soaked in water in the sea the day before. The yardarm is made slippery with the help of soap and oil, placed on the dock of the pier and suspended over the sea diagonally: The game requires balance and dexterity from the fishermen, and the teams are very fierce. Each angler has his or her own technique to stay balanced and win applause as the flag is caught. The audience watches the competition from both the pier and the boats at sea.

The procession of Our Lady of the Assumption

After the race, an open-air mass is celebrated, and at the end of communion, the statue is carried in procession, accompanied by the band.

The statue has its entire body made of straw and has feet, hands, and head made of terracotta and is reminiscent of the construction style of Neapolitan nativity statues.

The procession starts from the Church of the Assumption, passes through Via Castello, Via San Paolo, Piazza San Paolo and Largo Santa Maria delle Grazie, until it reaches St. Mark's Church and then returns to the harbor to return to the church.