May 26, 2018 – Korčula is full of tradition and heritage – learn more about the three brotherhoods and the processions you can participate in.
Have you ever been in the town of Korčula on some great religious festivals when the three brotherhoods, All Saints, The Holy Virgin Mary of Consolation or Saint Michael and Saint Rocco, take part in the solemn procession around the Old Town of Korčula, accompanied by the old church songs, offering a truly mystical, unique and magnificent experience? If you haven`t, it is worth coming to Korčula e.g. for Easter or on St Theodore`s Day in the mid -summer ( St Theodore is a co-patron saint of the Town).
The three brotherhoods that we have today were religious associations of the laymen and date back from the Middle Ages.
The oldest brotherhood of All Saints was established in 1301 in Korčula by the bishop of Korčula. They wear yellowish woolen gowns with the hoods and rope belts. Each brotherhood has its own church and theirs was built in the 15th ct. Each brotherhood also has their heritage of different religious objects, decorations, paintings, candles which are locally known as ” torci“. The biggest “ torac “ in All Saints brotherhood weighs 100 kilos.
St Rocco was established in 1575. They wear white gowns with a short, yellow overcoat.
The youngest brotherhood, the Holy Virgin Mary of Consolation, dates from 1603. They are recognizable by white gowns with blue overcoats.
The ambience of each procession is memorable and unique, even for non-religious people, there is something extraordinary sublime in that atmosphere of the sounds of religious songs, praying and the whole town being enlightened by the light of several hundreds of candles.
Mihovil Depolo is the youngest ” gaštald “ ever, or the youngest president ever, of All Saints brotherhood in its seven hundred long history. The Holy Virgin Mary of Consolation has also a very young ” gaštald “ Frano Botica, and ” gaštald “ of St Rocco brotherhood is the mayor of the Town of Korčula, Andro Fabris. All of them are men with a lot of enthusiasm and energy needed to organize almost fifty liturgical festivities a year
I had a chance to talk to Mihovil Depolo. He is a young restorer who returned to Korčula after spending some time in Zagreb studying at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, when he realized his real passion had always been the restoration of old, antique furniture. He decided to start his own business in Korčula and is more than successful now. He has the only such workshop in the town and nearby area. An interesting thing is that his co-worker is Frano Botica. So two gaštalds restoring together, mostly furniture but also liturgical objects! No doubt we can rely on them that our heritage is in good hands!
The first following procession is on Thursday, on Corpus Christi Day. Do not miss it and enjoy the unique experience of Korčula!
