Lakeside Festival Celebrates Sant’Ercolano with Music, Fireworks, and Culture
This evening, at the former equestrian field along the Maderno lakeside, the 12th stage of the «Cantalago» will take place, the singing festival that unites various locations around Garda. Hosted by Federica Moro, former Miss Italy. Free admission. In case of rain, the event will be postponed to tomorrow, Wednesday. Among the guests are the «Moulin Rouge» dance troupe, Elisa Antonelli, Diletta Orlandi (from Rivoltella), «La pantera rosa» (The Pink Panther), and comedian Giusy Venere. A fashion show, serving as a selection for the Miss Italia contest, is also scheduled. This event marks the beginning of the week dedicated to Sant’Ercolano, the patron saint, highlighted by performances from Brunetto and Brixia Jazz on Friday, and concluding with a firework display on Saturday at 11 p.m.
The Life of Sant’Ercolano
Erculiano, of Teutonic origin, was an abbot in a monastery in Brescia. He was elected bishop after Cipriano in 552, during the reign of Emperor Justinian. Legend states that, due to his virtues and miracles, he was renowned for his holiness. After twenty years, weary and aged, possibly persecuted by Arians Goths, he decided to retreat to Campione, on Lake Garda. Leading an eremitic life, he chose a cave, along with a faithful companion – recalls Benedetto Lenotti. He subsisted on herbs and roots, inspiring admiration and veneration for his harsh asceticism, kindness, and fervent prayer. Pilgrims traveled to see him. One morning, he was found dead, lying on a humble bed made of herbs and dry leaves. A dispute arose among the nearby villagers: each wanted his remains. Ultimately, they reached an agreement and placed Erculiano in a boat, abandoning him to divine guidance. The next day, the residents of Maderno saw the boat stranded on their Gulf’s shore. They pulled out his body and laid it in Sant’Andrea, in a stone tomb.
In August 1580, on order and in the presence of Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, the relics were removed from the crypt and carried in procession by four thousand people. Many centuries later, in October 1825, they were transferred to the new parish church and placed in a urn above the altar dedicated to him. Erculiano, later known as Sant’Ercolano, is considered the patron saint of the Brescia Riviera. A Renaissance altarpiece by Paolo Caliari, known as the Veronese, depicts him praying among the rocks of Campione.
The Theft of the Painting and Recent Studies
«On the night of March 24, 1972, the painting was stolen» – recalls Andreino Rossi, the local historian. – Fortunately, it was recovered a few days later in Pergine Valsugana. Recently, Gian Pietro Brogiolo, archaeologist and professor at the University of Padua, has suggested that Erculiano fled Brescia to escape the war, rather than because he was genuinely convinced to become a hermit.
In 568-569, the Lombards seized Sirmione and the Lower Lake, which controlled the Padan plain route and the route along the Val d’Adige. The middle and upper Garda remained Byzantine, as did Val di Non and the Judicarie, which provided an alternative pathway. «It is likely that Erculiano’s strange retreat was an attempt to escape the new invaders» – emphasizes Brogiolo. Similar to the bishop of Milan, who fled to Genoa, the bishop of Aquileia, who escaped to Grado, and his counterpart in Padua, who relocated to the Venetian lagoon. Instead of collaborating with the conquerors, they preferred to stay under Byzantine rule.
The Cave of Sant’Ercolano and the Fireworks Show
In Campione, the cave of Sant’Ercolano still exists, located 30 meters above the lake. The construction of the state highway 45 bis in the 1930s altered the middle section of the cliff, which may have had a more sloping profile where wooden structures could have been supported. Small cuts remain in the rock, likely supporting beams or horizontal supports. Probably, the access was less difficult than the current one, which involves a pass of a half-degree slope. For Saturday’s fireworks display, Navigarda has arranged two motorboats: the Tonale (departing from Desenzano at 8:35 p.m., docking at Sirmione at 8:55 p.m., Moniga at 9:20 p.m., Portese at 10 p.m., Salò at 10:15 p.m., Gardone Riviera at 10:35 p.m., with a stop in the Maderno gulf from 10:35 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., then returning), and the Adamello (boarding passengers in Maderno between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.). An opportunity to avoid traffic jams on the state highway 45 bis and to enjoy the fireworks display up close. Ticket prices: 24,000 lire for those departing from Desenzano, Sirmione, or Moniga; 17,500 lire for Portese or Salò; 14,000 for Gardone Riviera and 13,000 for Maderno. Children aged 4 to 12 pay 13,000 lire, regardless of departure point. Tickets available at Navigarda ticket offices or the Molinari travel agency. The two boats can collectively carry about one thousand people.
Sant’Ercolano is also an occasion for children to enjoy a sweet day. Along the lakeside, traditional stalls will be set up, offering delicacies and treats.
