La Segavecia of Forlimpopoli

In Forlimpopoli, mid-Lent, one of the oldest events in Romagna is celebrated, the cutting of the great puppet of the "Vecchia" ("vecia" in dialect). This is a propitiatory rite by which the misfortunes of the previous year are erased. The rite has its origins in a folk legend from the late Middle Ages: it tells of a young woman who had eaten in the days of the Lenten fast and for this was condemned to death and to be sawn in two. The woman disguised herself as an "old woman," covering her head with old rags and soiling her face with mud and thus managed to escape. In remembrance of this event, a parade of colorful floats takes place every year in Forlimpopoli, including that of the "Old Woman," with a puppet about 5.10 meters tall. An off-screen voice, that of a judge in an imaginary court, satirically lists the woman's charges, and immediately afterwards the executioners split the puppet in two with a 4-meter-long wooden saw. From the divided belly of the "Old Woman" come out sweets and dried fruits that are given to the children present in the square. The main event is complemented by other cultural events, concerts, and food stands. A re-enactment of the burning of the Fortress with a fireworks display also takes place.