Italians Celebrate Ferragosto On August 15th.

August 15th is Ferragosto in Italy. Its an important Catholic holiday, where Italians celebrate the day Virgin Mary was transported into heaven. Religiously, yes its very important to Catholics but Ferragosto, also signifies a period of rest, vacation and family time within August for most Italians. Many Italians venture back home from the cities and take mini-vacations to celebrate the summer. In Italy, you can attend feasts in every other town where fireworks and parades of saints and the Virgin Mary make their way down crowded streets. I remember as a child while being in Italy, my mother being so excited to see the statue of the Virgin Mary come down from the streets. To catch a glimpse of the statue and be part of the crowd was exciting. Till this day, my mother still gets excited for the parade and cherishes her photos all during the year of the Virgin Mary. I love that the holiday celebrates our religion and the Italians teach you how to reflect, celebrate and oh yeah--enjoy yourself. Happy Ferragosto. Tweet