Church of Saint Paul

Location

Known by most as Cappella delle Tarantate, it is located in via Garibaldi and is located under the 18th century Palazzo Donato. Even today, on the occasion of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, it is a destination for the curiosity of many tourists and the devotion of some tarantolata. The canvas, not very legible, depicting Saint Paul is interesting.

The tarantati

It is here that until quite a short time ago, in a rather flashy manner, on the occasion of the festivity of the Saints Peter and Paul, the tarantati (or tarantolati) coming from different parts of the Salento territory (remember that Galatina was immune) , almost as a reminder of the 'sad' event (the bite of taranta) incurred in their lives and, perhaps most surely, for a thank you for the supervening of their 'state of illness'. Hence they, once obtained the state of grace (or healing), then moved to the nearby Mother Church with forms and devotional practices, which today may seem to us incomprehensible and exaggerated, of personal and spontaneous gratitude, which could cross over in ancestral forms of ancient cults up to verge true forms of hysteria and idolatry.

It is true that when we talk about this phenomenon the etymon that is used is always and above all female (tarantata / e and not tarantato / i, or tarantolata / e and non tarantolato / i) for a greater and more significant presence in it of individuals of the feminine gender, even if in any case there has always been a male presence. Here, in these commentary notes, we have preferred the masculine etymology to understand, more simply and generically, all individuals of both sexes, male and female.