Il volo del’Angelo in Vastogirardi, Alto Molise

By Jenifer Landor

This tiny hamlet high in the hills of the Apennines (1200 m) with a current population of about 750, comes alive on the night of July 1^st, la Festa della Madonna della Grazie, for Il Volo del’Angelo.

There are only a few places in Italy where the flight of the angel is still re-enacted – Venice being one of the more notable – when a small girl between the ages of 4 and 7 takes ‘flight’ across the piazza to bless the statue of the Madonna.



Vastogirardi’s event is believed to be very old, but the modern day ‘volo’ was fairly recently inaugurated in 1911 by Vincenzo Liberatore, a benefactor of the church. To convince the townspeople that the flight was quite safe, his daughter was the first angel – dressed in a simple tunic and wearing decorated wings.

Held in a harness attached to a steel cable, the child ‘flies’ the 40 meters from a house across the square to the door of the church, thrice. First, reciting a prayer to the Madonna (written by her family); next, throwing a gold pendant to the statue (a gift of the family), lastly, scattering rose petals on the crowd below.



The band strikes up, and the statue of the Madonna is carried by local women through the streets. Once returned to the church, fireworks fill the sky beyond the little town. It is incredible to take part in this event – not at all created for tourists, but genuinely for the town’s faithful congregation.

We start the evening with a tour of the castle and centro storico, two young and very charming university students back home for summer explaining their customs and traditions. One of them had been l’angelo as a small girl and remembered how, even after successful practice trips, on the night of the flight – in the dark and in front of hundreds – it was quite a different matter!



Between the tour and ‘flight’, we go for dinner at La Taverna – where Vincenzo and Maria always feed us royally. Copious antipasta is followed by pasta fatta in casa, or meats cooked on the open fire. Some manage Maria’s tiramisu – annually voted best by all groups.

The festa is very friendly, and as always in these small Molise villages, no one speaks English, so it’s a delight to chat with the locals, all very welcoming and interested to know why we are there!

The evening ends with splendid fireworks bursting in the sky from the opposing hills, illuminating the ruined walls of the ancient Samnite tribes.



Author’s Bio: Live & Learn Italian offers an authentic experience as part of a relaxing holiday. Daily classes, in very small groups, combine with exploring the artisans, the history, visiting family food producers, and cooking classic dishes in local homes. For more information, visit their http://liveandlearnitalian.com/ or contact Jenifer directly at jenifer@liveandlearnitalian.com