News from Italy
Festa Del Bòcolo In Venice: Legend and Tradition
by Andira Vitale
The red rose bud is traditionally given to women on April 25, St. Mark’s Day. But why?
April 25, Independence Day, is celebrated enthusiastically in all Italian cities, even in the towns. One of them is different. The celebrations of the Liberation are mixed with the Feast of San Marco on April 25, which is dedicated to the city’s protector. The Feast of San Marco, a significant religious event, is also the day the Bòcolo tradition is observed. This tradition, that of men who give red roses to women every 25 April, is celebrated with double parties, and the celebrations are filled with love and hope, like life.
The Bòcolo tradition, known as the Bòcolo di San Marco, is a universal symbol of love and hope. On the day of the patron saint of Venice, Venetian husbands and boyfriends offer a red rosebud to their loved ones as a sign of love. This loved one can be a mother, spouse, brother, neighbour, or colleague. The tradition is not limited by relationships or boundaries, making it a celebration of love for all.
The Bòcolo tradition dates back to the 8th century AD and is a significant part of Italian cultural heritage. It revolves around the story of Maria, also known as Vulcania, the daughter of Doge Angelo Partecipazio, who fell in love with a young troubadour named Tancredi. Their love, though reciprocated, faced opposition from Maria’s father due to the societal differences. This historical love story is at the heart of the Bòcolo tradition.
Trying to persuade her father, Maria woke up one day with hope like a rose blooming every morning. She had found a way to make Tancredi precious in her father’s eyes. Maria’s idea was then to ask Tancredi to leave with the army of the Franks commanded by Charlemagne to fight the Arabs in Spain; he would thus have achieved fame and glory, and the Doge would have consented to their marriage. Tancredi did so and distinguished himself for valour on the battlefield, and his fame soon spread throughout Europe, even reaching Venice, for Maria’s happiness. Little did they know, this was the beginning of a tragic love story that would be remembered for generations.
But on 15 August 778, tragedy struck. Tancredi, the brave warrior, was fatally wounded in the battle of Roncesvalles. As he lay dying in a rose bush, he plucked a rose for the woman he loved, his blood staining the delicate petals. In his final moments, Tancredi entrusted his friend Orlando with a red rosebud, symbolising his undying love for Maria. These were his last words, a poignant farewell to his beloved, marking the end of a promising love story and the beginning of a profound sense of loss and sorrow.
One day, Orlando, a close friend of Tancredi, arrives in Venice and announces to Maria the death of Tancredi on the battlefield. However, having fallen dying on a rose bush, Tancredi had the strength to collect a rose soaked in his blood and asked Orlando to have it delivered to the woman he loved. Orlando, a loyal friend to the end, fulfilled Tancredi’s last wish. The young woman, having received the flower, clung to silence for the death of Tancredi and the end of his love. The following day, she was found dead with the rose in her hands; it was St. Mark’s Day, a day that marked not only the end of a promising love story but also a profound tragedy and loss.
But today, in reality, the Venetian tradition of the Bòcolo is not just a tribute to the beloved, but a profound homage to women, to the feminine element itself. It’s a celebration of women’s joy, life, beauty, and passion in everyone’s lives. In Venice, on April 25, offering a Bòcolo to lovers, spouses, and girlfriends is not just a custom, it’s a way of showing deep respect and admiration for the women we love. No woman should be left without a Bòcolo on St. Mark’s Day. This is the essence of the Venetian tradition. This tradition extends even to women in health resorts, because in Venice, every woman deserves to be honoured, and the Bòcolo tradition is a powerful symbol of this profound cultural respect and admiration.
