In 1624, the story goes, Palermo was saved from the Plague by relics of Saint Rosalia, which were carried through the town.
In gratitude, or memory, or possibly because it brings visitors, the ritual is repeated each year on the saint’s day, with the relics carried in a Triumphal Carriage—the Carro Trionfale—which is redesigned and rebuilt each year. The common elements that recur from year to year are a statue of the saint and a boat-like carriage body.
The event takes place in July, but the Carro remains on view for some months outside Palermo’s cathedral. For perspective, it’s about the length of a city bus and weighs nearly six tons.
The 2003 carriage was donated to New York’s Columbus Citizens Foundation, a sponsor of the annual New York City parade. It’s seen below, resting on a pier along the Hudson River. In the parade, it was pulled by teams of oxen.
