When it comes to Ardia, there is no national team match that matters. Despite the concurrent time of the football match at the European Championships, the usual small crowd of onlookers and enthusiasts did not want to miss the Ardia 2024 rehearsals yesterday.
Since the early afternoon, many people have animated the courtyard of San Costantino inside and outside, where the race of faith will be repeated on 6-7 July . Numerous attendances especially at "su Frontigheddu" to witness the start in one of the most suggestive but also dangerous points. The start arrived as always when it was just after 7pm. After a last quick glance of understanding with his helpers, first pandela Mario Meloni launched himself at full speed towards the arch of San Costantino, followed by the second flag Michele Carboni and from the third Costantino Atzas .
The passage under the arch and the ascent towards the sanctuary was clean and linear, certainly one of the central and most awaited moments of the tests. After entering the natural amphitheater, the flags made a few laps around the place of worship, and then galloped up to "sa Muredda" . Several more laps in both directions and then the race up the slope that leads behind the Church to conclude the tests. The three race leaders have tested the terrain and the horses to make sure that all the gears are already in the right place, even if on the evening of July 6th the climate will be very different.
And as Ardia approaches, preparations for the civil celebration intensify. Anna Rita Nanu is the president of the Santu Antinu Committee, the linchpin of the entire organizational machine. «Everything is ready now – he states – this is the finishing touches phase, but we believe we have worked well to welcome the thousands of people who will arrive».
Today there was another important moment of getting closer to the Ardia with the ancient ritual of preparing the cartridges, the blank ammunition that the riflemen will use during the days of the event. Task falling to the "Associazione Fusileris Ardia de Santu Antinu" , chaired by Mario Melosu .
And in the meantime, from tomorrow we enter the week of the celebration when the religious rites will intensify. Days of great commitment and faith also for the women of the Council of San Costantino who take care of the services in the sanctuary under the guidance of Prioress Marilena Carboni.
