THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY OF BETHLEHEM
AND THE DESCENT OF THE CANDELIERI (THE "FARADDA")
five centuries between faith and tradition

Hints on the historical background

The Franciscans arrived in Sassari around 1220 and settled in the rural church ot Santa Maria di Campulongu, atter the departure of the Benedictines. Ine Franciscans established a close bond with the city and its institutions thanks to their work of assistance to the poor, the sick and the disinherited.

Itinerary 1: THE CLOISTER

The Gothic door, walled into the facade of the church, used to be the ancient access to the cloister. Part of the original cloister was incorporated into the church to build the side chapels. The remains of some brick columns with stone capitals of the original cloister can be seen. The cloister of Saint Mary's was not for the exclusive use of religious people, but was normally open to the public as an act of charity and traternity for the benefit of the people in Sassari Itinerary 5: THE CLOISTER
The Gothic door, walled into the facade of the church, used to be the ancient access to the cloister. Part of the original cloister was incorporated into the church to build the side chapels. The remains of some brick columns with stone capitals of the original cloister can be seen. The cloister of Saint Mary's was not for the exclusive use of religious people, but was normally open to the public as an act of charity and traternity for the benefit of the people in Sassari Itinerary 5: THE CLOISTER
The Gothic door, walled into the facade of the church, used to be the ancient access to the cloister. Part of the original cloister was incorporated into the church to build the side chapels. The remains of some brick columns with stone capitals of the original cloister can be seen. The cloister of Saint Mary's was not for the exclusive use of religious people, but was normally open to the public as an act of charity and traternity for the benefit of the people in Sassari with whom the triars had a special relationship. At the centre of the cloister there is a tountain known as the "Brigliadore", dated 1523, which replaced a simpler previous one. Over the centuries the population was allowed to access the cloister to draw water.
The fountain consists of a sandstone basin where the shields with the coats of arms of the counsellors of the time and, in the centre, the coat of arms of Aragon with the superimposed civic tower are carved, which confirms the patronage of the municipality over the convent. In the centre stands a bronze column surmounted by tour lion heads from whose mouths water tlows. At it top there is an inscription in Gothic characters with the names of the counsel-lors and the date. Among the coats of arms of the tombstones walled up in the cloister there are the oldest heraldic symbols found in Sardinia.


Itinerary 2: THE CANDLESTICK MUSEUM

Historical notes on the origins of the Candelieri or "Faradda" feast.
The relationship between the city and the convent of Santa Maria intensified atter the plague of 1528, which ceased on the eve of the feast of the Virgin of the Assumption in mid-August. On this occasion the ritual of Pisan origin was renewed, which culminated in the procession of candles, which were replaced by heavy wooden candlesticks in the seventeenth century. They were carried by representatives of the guilds of arts and crafts on the evening of August 14th as thanks to the Vergin for the cessation of the plague. Even today the symbolic offering is repeated every year through the descent of the Candelieri (the "Faradda"), along the streets of the historic centre down to Saint Mary's Church where the statue of the Madonna Assunta is exhibited. The descent is a dancing procession, to the rhythm of the drums, during which the Cande-lieri (symbolic candles in the form of large wooden columns) decorated with brightly coloured ribbons, flowers and flags are carried on the shoulders by the representatives of the Gremi (guilds) amidst the jubilation of the crowa.
Thirteen Gremi officially participate in the "Faradda"


Itinerary 3: THE LIBRARY

The library of Saint Mary of Bethlehem is very ancient and probably dates back to the 13th century with the settlement of the Franciscans in the city. Over the centuries the library has played a central role in the social and cultural life of the city. The contribution of the Franciscans to Sardinian culture in all ts aspects and, in particular, to the diffusion of education on the island i: well known. loday the library is located on the ground floor near the chapte house. In one of the rooms there are the ancient texts and the musical fund with interesting handwritten scores. The ancient collection includes 722 texts with precious specimens from the 16th and 17th centuries including a Holy Bible from 1569. The book collection now includes around 36,000 texts on religious, historical, literary and artistic topics and an important local history section.