In Uta, as in the others villages of Sardinia, there are, during the year, several festivals in memory of some Saint Martyrs. These festivals have the aim of honouring saints that are particularly dear to the town, because in the past they were evoked to avert or defeat pestilences and very fearful natural calamities (this is the case of Santa Giusta). Other times the believers’ devotion springs from an unexpected recovery from an illness, thanks to the invoked Saint (as happened with the water of the well of Santa Maria).
Saint Emerenziana and Saint Flaviana
Recently, two Saints, born and lived in Uta, have been discovered: Saint Emerenziana and Saint Flaviana. The two girls were beheaded in 304, during the persecution of Christians, at the time of the emperor Diocletian, when Barbaro was governor in Sardinia (in those times it was a Roman province). They went towards the martyrdom because they practiced charity, taking relief and solace to the Christians kept in prison.
Events’ calendar
May 14th – Santa Giusta
The festival of Santa Giusta, patron protector of the town, is celebrated on 14 May. She was born and lived in a resort near Oristano to which she gives the name. She left the pagan religion after he knew Christian religion by a slave. Her mother, not achieving to educate her about paganism and to impose her wedding a rich man, started to maltreat her. Then she reported her to roman authorities, by who she was sentenced to death and martyred in young age with two Christian companions. The saint is taken in procession by the believers along the streets of the village and the celebrations go on with shows and various entertainments.
First Saturday after May 14th – Sant’Isidoro
The festival of Sant’Isidoro, farmers’ patron, was celebrated on May 15th, but now the recurrence is celebrated on the first Saturday after Santa Giusta’s festival. The legend tells that Isidoro was Spanish (Isidro) and being very devout, every day, he went to the Church before going at work in the countryside. Very soon, his colleagues reported him to the employer who decided to verify Isidoro’s delays. Therefore, early in the morning, he went to the fields and saw Isidoro’s yoke of oxen ploughing the field guided by an angel. Isidoro was canonized by Gregorio XV on May 12th, 1622. The procession in his memory is very characteristic and striking, thanks to the presence of wagons (is traccas) and of horsemen, with the traditional Sardinian suit, that parade along the village’s streets, representing scenes of country life. The celebrations finish in the evening with folk and musical shows.
The last week of June: San Nicola
San Nicola was born in Asia Minor in the 3rd century AD. He was bishop and, during his pastoral mandate, did several miracles. He died in Asia Minor and his cult spread quickly in the east and in Italy. During the Byzantine period, his body was rescued from Turkish rule and transported to Italy, in Bari. Exactly in Bari was erected a stately Basilica in whose crypt there are the relics of the Saint. San Nicola’s cult was introduced in Sardinia by Greek monks and it spread in several resorts of Sardinia, among them Uta. The celebrations are done the last week of June in San Nicola’s Oasis: it is celebrated the Holy Mass and it is possible to be present at shows of folk and light music but also of polyphonic choirs. The celebrations draw as well as people of Uta also hundreds of people from the whole Sardinia.
August 15th – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Maria
On august 15th is celebrated the “Assunta” with a procession along the streets of Uta. Until few decades ago, the Church was decorated and in the middle of the nave was put the statue of the Assunta (called of the “sleeping” because the saint laid flat on a bed with canopy).
Friday after August 15th – Santa Giusta
The saint, who came from Syracuse, belonged to a rich family. She was educated in Christian religion, did vow of chastity and refused to marry the man to whom was promised. Having declared herself Christian was sentenced to stake, but the flames left her unhurt, so she was beheaded in 304. Saint Lucia’s festival is celebrated the first Saturday after the Assunta’s festival. On Friday evening, a procession leaves from the village to the small country Church of Santa Lucia (Santa Lucia ‘e monti), where the saint stays for two days. On Sunday morning, she leaves again, accompanied by the believers, to return in the Church of Uta. This festival has very ancient origins and in 1886, the priest of that time, Antonio Murru, described it to the Diocese as follows: “…the festival of Santa Lucia is beginning populated every year more…and this year were more or less 160 vehicles (wagons, barrows and carriages) with the aid of about 2000 persons… people also from far countries come to the rural Church in the mountain to venerate the Holy simulacrum…”. During the two nights that the Saint passes into the country Church, the countryside becomes animated and musical shows and dances revive the evenings.
8 SETTEMBRE Santa Maria
The most magnificent religious recurrence that is celebrated in Uta is, without doubts, Santa Maria. The festival lasts five days; the saint, after having been dressed with sumptuous clothes and covered with jewels, given by the countrymen in sign of devoutness, is taken in procession along the streets of the village: it is a blaze of colours, roses’ petals and flowers are scattered in the streets when the simulacrum passes, whole streets re covered with very sweet-smelling little leaves of mint and the homes are decorated with branches of eucalyptus. Every street of the town is crossed horizontally by hundreds of small flags and lightings that go from home to home. The surrounding area of Santa Maria’s Church is occupied by games, fair and inns.
Every year there are the enchanting fireworks displays, the competitions of Sardinian poetry (in Campidanese dialect) and an established national artist who, thanks to the committee that look after fund rising for the festival, performs entertaining the large public.
November 17th – Santa Giusta
In Uta, on November 17th, Santa Giusta is honoured again with an austere procession. She was invoked in the past to save the village from a fearful flood that in 1898 devastated the built-up area.
THE RELIGIOUS EVENTS OF THE PAST
Until several decades ago in Uta, as well as the festivals already described, also other ones existed, but are fallen into disuse during the time/years. Among them, we remember just three: Santa Croce, San Giovanni and San Leone Magno.
May – Holy Cross
In 1933, ran/there was the 19th centenary of the Redemption and Don Fresia made a new chapel build in resort “Sa Guardiedda”, where can celebrate the Mass and also a big iron cross, after positioned in the top of an hill. The population, numerous, participated to the recurrence that look place on May in the previously mentioned resort. As well as religious rituals, there was also a trip into the country.
June 24th – San Giovanni
On June 24th in Uta was honoured san Giovanni, shepherds’’ protector. It was celebrated a mass and it was done a procession with the participation of the entire population. The pagan celebrations provided fires done with sheaves of hay in various zones of the village. The boys, for lack, jumped the ashes of the fires.
November 10th – San Leone Magno
Until 1949, in Uta on November 10th was celebrated S.Leone Magno whose Church was near the actual cemetery. Dances and fireworks accompanied the religious ceremony.
