La festa di S.Antonio del porto

We tell you how it originated and why Mauro Pepoli (Htl Miramare’s founder) was absolutely determined to organize it, after he was “miraculously helped” by the Saint.

On the morning of September 25th 1949, ten rowing boats left the coast of Palinuro to go fishing for swordfish. The fishermen were happy: what a divine day! How clear the sky appeared! Their feelings were so serene and sure that they went to sea at the top of their confidence. A few hours went by, when suddenly they saw a storm cloud approaching. As they knew how to recognize sudden changes of weather, frightened they quickly recovered the fishing lines in order to get back to the ground as soon as possible. But unfortunately, the storm hit faster and more furiously than anyone expected, making much harder for the fishermen to sail back toward the port. In the meantime, all their relatives and friends worried because the storm was unleashed even on land, and rushed down to the seashore awaiting the return of the boats. They started praying the saint who was in the church of the port.

Then, the little statue of St. Anthony was placed on the wall of the Church. Just about when they were losing every hope to see again their loved ones, the returning boats were sighted in the distance. But their joy was short lived, because one of the fishermen noticed that the small rowing boat of Mauro and Salvatore was missing, pushed further and further offshore with respect to the other boats. This young man with other friends decided to go back on board of a trawler to the point where Mauro and Salvatore’s small boat had been last seen. Meanwhile the women continued to pray before the statue of the saint for the whole duration of the storm.

The trawler was getting back to the port, after they searched in vain for many miles. But suddenly, a dim light in the distance attracted their attention. The fishermen decided to follow the light, full of hope. They found them! The exhausted survivors were grappling their oars, the water at their knees, the boat full of fish and water. But they were ALIVE! They were then hauled to safety aboard the trawler and their small boat was towed by the trawler. They finally have been taken back to safety. At their arrival in the port they found all the people waiting and praying at the same time for them to St. Anthony. They never stopped hoping for a miracle. And it was so that since 25th September 1949, the people of Palinuro continue to celebrate St. Anthony, who sent that providential sunbeam. And it was Mauro, the saved man, the organizer and supporter of this village festival until his death in 1998, leaving then this commitment to his fellow-village friends. During the festival a procession of boats takes place at sea. They leave the port of Palinuro and first of all they head to hotel Miramare to pay homage to his first owner and founder of our family.