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Traditions
Talking about Calabria and Sellia Marina, we must allude to all those typical religious traditions that always have something magic. Some general believes still alive are based on Nice and Homeopathic Magic, that come from pagan Greek-Latin rites or from older religions mixed with Christian religion. For examples, some people are still persuaded that a salt stone in the home keep away bad luck. Someone believes that during Ephipany night (others think that is the Christmas night) animals could speak, in memory of the first years of the world. But not only. Plants give new fruit, oil flow through rivers, fountains are full of honey and goods changes in gold or pearls, but all people cannot see or hear this transformation, on pain of death. The tradition of exchange gift during the period between Christmas and Ephipany go up to Saturnali feast in commemoration of the apparition of Saturno in Lazio.
A most ancient relation is between people from Calabria and the fire or the chimney. In a lot of villages the chimney corner is always present, because it is cheaper and it is a point of meeting. Pagans people give to fire a divine power as life and light, they believed that in the form of fire the ancient gods can appear during Solstitium, Christian people move these apparition in the period of Christmas and Ester. During the Christmas day or in the new year's eve the tradition of the log or of the bonfire is still alive. They use to make a big pile of wood and light up a bonfire during the Christmas night and let it naturally consume. Long time ago brands of this bonfire were collected and kept safe, because they believed that brands could keep away thunders and storms. There are also others feast that we have to remember, the feast of the patron saint, San Nicola from Bari, May 27th, the liturgical celebration of the Last Supper with theatrical representation of the Passion and Death of Christ, the Confrunta and the Ester day and other patronal feast (Madonna of the Carmine on July 16th in Uria, Madonna of the Rosario on October 7th in Calabricata, Saint Antonio on June 13th in Feudo de Seta).