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| Corte de Cà Sarasina, Venice |
(Venice, Italy) Six years ago today I wrote a post about Corte de Cà Sarasina, the very first neighborhood I lived in when I first moved to Venice back in 1998, which happened to have a miracle Madonna right outside my door.
In fact, within that post, I included the very first article I had ever written for the International Herald Tribune's Italian supplement, Italy Daily, which was published on January 12, 2001 when Italy still had lire and 9/11 was a nightmare waiting in the future.
So this is a flashback within a flashback -- we are zooming back 13 1/2 years. But Corte de Cà Sarasina lies in a Venetian time warp; not much changes there (except a lot more people seem to know about it). I don't think you will find Rosie waiting to make you a gondola out of lace anymore, but there is still laundry flapping from the windows, and the mystical Madonna still works her magic...
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Miracle Madonna in Corte de Cà Sarasina - Venice
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Corte Sarasina is important because it has a Madonna that
works miracles, and I can personally vouch for her authenticity:)
Ten years ago, the people of Corte Sarasina did not have many Americans living among them, so I was kind of a novelty. They were friendly, warm, good-hearted people. They spoke Venetian dialect, not Italian. I didn't speak a word of Italian, let alone Venetian, but somehow we managed to communicate with our hearts.
Every afternoon the old women would put their chairs out in the corte, do their lace work, and chat -- their lace-making style was different than Burano because they were from Pellestrina. They took good care of me.
Ten years ago, the people of Corte Sarasina did not have many Americans living among them, so I was kind of a novelty. They were friendly, warm, good-hearted people. They spoke Venetian dialect, not Italian. I didn't speak a word of Italian, let alone Venetian, but somehow we managed to communicate with our hearts.
Every afternoon the old women would put their chairs out in the corte, do their lace work, and chat -- their lace-making style was different than Burano because they were from Pellestrina. They took good care of me.
One day I decided to wash my sheets. I asked my next-door neighbor (who was an Austrian pianist) if I could use
her laundry line. Since ours were ground floor apartments, you had to
hang the laundry with clothes pins, then sort of hoist it like a sail. The laundry line stretched from one side of the corte to the other.
Well, I couldn't hoist it up, and blocked the entire corte with my sheets sprawled across the center. The old women came and took my laundry away from me, and told me to get on my way -- they knew I had an appointment close to Piazza San Marco. You have to
understand that even though it's only about 15 minutes by foot from Via
Garibaldi to Piazza San Marco, some people in Castello haven't been to
San Marco for 30 years. So, to them, I was going on this great
adventure. While I was up there, I bought them a box of chocolate to
thank them.
When
I got back to Corte Sarasina, all my laundry was flying from their
windows! It was a sight to behold. They had divided it up and shared
their laundry lines. (That image you see is not Corte Sarasina, but it
looked sort of like that.)
When
I got back to Corte Sarasina, all my laundry was flying from their
windows! It was a sight to behold. They had divided it up and shared
their laundry lines. (That image you see is not Corte Sarasina, but it
looked sort of like that.) 
After it was dried and neatly folded, they
sent over a representative, Rosie, to deliver it. I offered the
chocolates, but Rosie refused. Then five minutes later she was sent back
to get the chocolates. (You can just imagine that conversation: "What?
You didn't take the chocolates? Get your butt back over there and get
them.")Next, I saw Rosie sitting out with the others, making something new out of lace. I asked her what it was, and she went on and on in Venetian.
Of course, I had no idea what she said. I thought, "She's
either making a gift for her granddaughter's First Holy Communion, or a
fish." It turned out that she was making a gondolier rowing a gondola
for ME!!! I am looking at it right now, and if I had a camera (which I
promise I will buy), I'd take a photo of it and show you. It's one most
precious gifts I've ever received.
The very first article I wrote for the International Herald Tribune's Italy Daily was about this Miracle Madonna of Corte Sarasina -- in fact, it's how I got the job. I did a quick search to see if there are any images of the Miracle Madonna available, and it turns out that there are! All the images you see here (except the clothesline) are from a blog by a woman named Anne called, "Churches in Venice," and can be found at: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/annienc/2008/01/corte_de_casarasina_shrine.html (That link no longer works.)
Apparently Anne wants to know what's up with this shrine, too. Since I own all my copyrights, I'll post what I wrote (with a little editing) back on Friday, January 12, 2001. (But I did NOT write that headline:) So, let's take a little trip into the past...
Cocktails and Prayers Answered in Venice
The very first article I wrote for the International Herald Tribune's Italy Daily was about this Miracle Madonna of Corte Sarasina -- in fact, it's how I got the job. I did a quick search to see if there are any images of the Miracle Madonna available, and it turns out that there are! All the images you see here (except the clothesline) are from a blog by a woman named Anne called, "Churches in Venice," and can be found at: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/annienc/2008/01/corte_de_casarasina_shrine.html (That link no longer works.)
Apparently Anne wants to know what's up with this shrine, too. Since I own all my copyrights, I'll post what I wrote (with a little editing) back on Friday, January 12, 2001. (But I did NOT write that headline:) So, let's take a little trip into the past...
Cocktails and Prayers Answered in VeniceThe Castello Neighborhood Holds a Mystical Madonna, a Mystifying Accent and a Proud, Venetian Aperitif
By Cat Bauer
Tucked away in a quiet section of Venice, there is a Byzantine Madonna who
answers prayers, or so the story goes. She's been gazing down on Corte
de Cà Sarasina for centuries, dating back to the beginning of the 1600s.
Corte Sarasina is off Via Garibaldi in the Castello district of Venice. It's one of the few remaining neighborhoods where Venetians outnumber the tourists.
Corte Sarasina is off Via Garibaldi in the Castello district of Venice. It's one of the few remaining neighborhoods where Venetians outnumber the tourists.
Every morning, locals scramble to buy fresh fruit and
vegetables from a boat docked in the canal at Fondamenta Sant'Anna, and
haggle over fish at the little market at the entrance to the Public
Gardens.
Back in 1807, Via Garibaldi was transformed into a rio terra, a canal that was filled in and turned into a street, by Napoleon's invading forces. On the right-hand corner, at No. 1643, there is an inscription commemorating the home of the famous navigator, Giovanni Caboto, otherwise known as John Cabot. This where Via Garibaldi -- and a whole other Venice -- begins.
Castello is a working-class community, originally inhabited by fisherman, shipbuilders, and lace-makers. Laundry flaps across the calli and the canals. Men gather around newsstands. Mothers promenade with their babies, stopping to chat and coo.
A fun place to eat on this colorful boulevard is Trattoria Giorgione, on the right side of the street. Lucio Bisutto serenades his customers with Venetian folk songs while his wife, Ivana, cooks some of the best fish, risotto, and vongole in town. A little further down on the left is Bar Mio where patrons sit outside and have a spritz, a drink rarely ordered outside Venice. It's usually sipped during lunch or after work at around 7 P.M., but is available anytime, especially for those on vacation.
There are at least three kinds: "spritz con Select," "spritz con Aperol" or "spritz con bitter." The spritz con bitter consists of white wine, Campari and a "spritz" of soda water. Those who prefer a sweeter drink ask for Aperol. A spritz con Select (the accent lies on the first syllable) is sweeter still. Any self-respecting spritz arrives accompanied by a cube or two of ice, an olive, and a lemon or orange peel, together with a little bowl of chips or nuts.
Stumbling on the scene, Corte Sarasina would seem inhabited mostly by elderly women who spend warmer afternoons sitting outside on folding chairs, chatting and stitching lace. They speak Venetian with a thick Castello accent, the same undulating rhythm as the water lapping in the lagoon. "Rosie" is the ringleader, and she is in charge of the wish-granting Madonna, tending to the fresh and artificial flowers around it and straightening the altar.
A wood painting protected by a sheet of glass, the Madonna of Corte Sarasina greets the faithful from inside a grande sacello, a small brick and plaster structure with a typical Venetian red tile roof. On her head is a crown imbedded with imitation gemstones. A strand of white beads dangles around her face. She is surrounded by statues of Jesus and various saints, the plaster type found in a mortuary store.
Every morning, Rosie shuffles out of her apartment a few doors away and unlocks the shrine. The Madonna is open all day from 8 A.M. to 7P.M., seven days a week, although at lunch time the Madonna takes a nap like most of the folks in Garibaldi. If you arrive during lunch time, visitors need only unhook the little chain that latches the double green doors, swing them open, say a prayer, deposit their lire and close her back up. There is a small wooden box mounted on the inside of the left-hand door to make contributions. A suggested donation is 1,000 lire (one euro by 2008 standards:), which goes to purchasing fresh flowers and maintaining the sanctuary.
No one knows who created this peculiar Madonna, but many believe it was the work of a madonnaro, or street artist from the early 1600s, and was a traditional way for the living to remember the dead. To this day, she is very much a part of the local community.
About a year ago, the locals took it upon themselves to restore the shrine. Lino Scarpa, a friendly, wise fellow, said the elderly women of Corte Sarasina begged him to do the restoration. "I repainted the doors, the statues, added some color to the lips, that sort of thing," he said.
Amazingly, many of the locals say they haven't made the trip from the Castello district to Piazza San Marco in years, even though it's only a 15 minute walk away. "Everything a person needs is down here on Garibaldi," Mr. Scarpa said. "Fish, vegetables, good places to eat, good bars, good people. The gardens are here, the lagoon is here. The sea is a quick boat trip away."
So, there you have it. It's the work of a street artist, maintained by the locals. Sometimes I've wondered whether one of the major restoration groups around town should restore her, but she might lose some of her magic.
Many times aspiring writers ask me for advice. I'll tell you my secret -- all you have to do become a published author is give the Miracle Madonna of Corte Sarasina one euro, and you're on your way.
Ciao from Venice,
Cat Bauer
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
Back in 1807, Via Garibaldi was transformed into a rio terra, a canal that was filled in and turned into a street, by Napoleon's invading forces. On the right-hand corner, at No. 1643, there is an inscription commemorating the home of the famous navigator, Giovanni Caboto, otherwise known as John Cabot. This where Via Garibaldi -- and a whole other Venice -- begins.
Castello is a working-class community, originally inhabited by fisherman, shipbuilders, and lace-makers. Laundry flaps across the calli and the canals. Men gather around newsstands. Mothers promenade with their babies, stopping to chat and coo.
A fun place to eat on this colorful boulevard is Trattoria Giorgione, on the right side of the street. Lucio Bisutto serenades his customers with Venetian folk songs while his wife, Ivana, cooks some of the best fish, risotto, and vongole in town. A little further down on the left is Bar Mio where patrons sit outside and have a spritz, a drink rarely ordered outside Venice. It's usually sipped during lunch or after work at around 7 P.M., but is available anytime, especially for those on vacation.
There are at least three kinds: "spritz con Select," "spritz con Aperol" or "spritz con bitter." The spritz con bitter consists of white wine, Campari and a "spritz" of soda water. Those who prefer a sweeter drink ask for Aperol. A spritz con Select (the accent lies on the first syllable) is sweeter still. Any self-respecting spritz arrives accompanied by a cube or two of ice, an olive, and a lemon or orange peel, together with a little bowl of chips or nuts.
Stumbling on the scene, Corte Sarasina would seem inhabited mostly by elderly women who spend warmer afternoons sitting outside on folding chairs, chatting and stitching lace. They speak Venetian with a thick Castello accent, the same undulating rhythm as the water lapping in the lagoon. "Rosie" is the ringleader, and she is in charge of the wish-granting Madonna, tending to the fresh and artificial flowers around it and straightening the altar.
A wood painting protected by a sheet of glass, the Madonna of Corte Sarasina greets the faithful from inside a grande sacello, a small brick and plaster structure with a typical Venetian red tile roof. On her head is a crown imbedded with imitation gemstones. A strand of white beads dangles around her face. She is surrounded by statues of Jesus and various saints, the plaster type found in a mortuary store.
Every morning, Rosie shuffles out of her apartment a few doors away and unlocks the shrine. The Madonna is open all day from 8 A.M. to 7P.M., seven days a week, although at lunch time the Madonna takes a nap like most of the folks in Garibaldi. If you arrive during lunch time, visitors need only unhook the little chain that latches the double green doors, swing them open, say a prayer, deposit their lire and close her back up. There is a small wooden box mounted on the inside of the left-hand door to make contributions. A suggested donation is 1,000 lire (one euro by 2008 standards:), which goes to purchasing fresh flowers and maintaining the sanctuary.
No one knows who created this peculiar Madonna, but many believe it was the work of a madonnaro, or street artist from the early 1600s, and was a traditional way for the living to remember the dead. To this day, she is very much a part of the local community.
About a year ago, the locals took it upon themselves to restore the shrine. Lino Scarpa, a friendly, wise fellow, said the elderly women of Corte Sarasina begged him to do the restoration. "I repainted the doors, the statues, added some color to the lips, that sort of thing," he said.
Amazingly, many of the locals say they haven't made the trip from the Castello district to Piazza San Marco in years, even though it's only a 15 minute walk away. "Everything a person needs is down here on Garibaldi," Mr. Scarpa said. "Fish, vegetables, good places to eat, good bars, good people. The gardens are here, the lagoon is here. The sea is a quick boat trip away."
***
So, there you have it. It's the work of a street artist, maintained by the locals. Sometimes I've wondered whether one of the major restoration groups around town should restore her, but she might lose some of her magic.
Many times aspiring writers ask me for advice. I'll tell you my secret -- all you have to do become a published author is give the Miracle Madonna of Corte Sarasina one euro, and you're on your way.
Ciao from Venice,
Cat Bauer
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
Six years ago today I wrote a post about Corte de Cà Sarasina, the very first neighborhood I lived in when I first moved to Venice back in 1998, which happened to have a miracle Madonna right outside my door.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I missed this the first time...what a treat!I can't believe Venetians do not walk the whole island as a normal practice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Theresa. It's a strange phenomenon. Even though Venice is so small, you do get stuck in your own world much of the time. And the world that existed in Corte de Cà Sarasina and via Garibaldi was so lovely, I can understand why they wouldn't make the trip to Piazza San Marco. In fact, I can hardly imagine those lace makers in the piazza with all the tourists... or seeing the enormous cruise ships... sort of like having a Native American wander into New York City from the forest.
ReplyDeletei was there today. i think the lacemakers are gone, and a man living there said that the woman who tends the shrine is french, and lives in the house above the shrine, a two-roomed tiny place. it's still unknown, tho. i can hardly find a thing about the street on the internet. interesting to me, right behind the shrine building there is an ancient cloister, so i suppose it was part of a monastery or abbey.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update, Jeanne. But one thing never changes: the Madonna still makes miracles:)
ReplyDelete