In these days romans are celebrating a very particular festivity: La festa de noantri.

Translating from roman language: our own party. “our” are the inhabitants of the ancient district of Trastevere, true hearth of the popular soul of Rome.

The “Trasteverini” (those who lives in Trastevere) are very proud of their roots, they hold the real tradition of Rome; a tradition made of folk songs and dirty jokes in roman dialect, red vine and popular dances. Every year in Trastevere takes place this seven-days celebration joined by every true Roman: the statue of the Madonna (the Virgin Mary) of one of the Trastevere’s church, is taken and processioned for the streets and on the Tevere, the river of Rome.

One day of many years ago, after a huge storm, a fisherman found in the Tevere a wooden statue of the Madonna ; she, transported in the near church of Trastevere, was adopted by the inhabitants as protector of fishermen and those who work on the river. She is called by the people the “Madonna fiumarola”, The Madonna of the river.