St. Mark the Evangelist

On April 25, in Ruffano, a small town not far from Casarano, we celebrate St. Mark the Evangelist hearing protector. To rediscover the origins, one must go back to the twelfth century, precisely when Byzantine monks depicted in a small underground church, the Holy One in a fresco, while he was writing (in Greek) the first step of his Gospel. Focus and theater of the festivities is the underground crypt, below the church of the Carmine, accessible through a small door that is located on the left side of the aisle and beyond which can, even today, admire the painting.

In honor of the Saint, tradition has it that on the day of April 25, to be delivered to the faithful of the swabs of blessed oil that if applied to the ears, would protect them from disease or alleviate the pain until it disappears altogether. The many gifts of gold and of silver, of the faithful, are evidence of the graces received by the Saint. Many of these are in the shape of the ear and are stored inside the chapel, next to the relic and papier-mâché statue of the Holy Evangelist.

The Sacred aspect of the festival, is accompanied by that much more profane the Fiera di San Marco, which, over time, has become one of the most important fairs of Salento. Also takes place the day of 25 and is an opportunity to sell and buy the most varied local handicrafts (including the famous terracotta). Originally, the fair was held exclusively in the square opposite the church, but with the passage of time and with the ever-growing membership of the faithful, has suffered a natural extension which involved most of the area south of the country.