The awards for the second edition of the ‘Il Ciuffo e la Rosa’ (The Lock of Hair and the Rose) prize were presented this morning at the monastery of Santa Rosa in Viterbo. Crafted by Michele Telari and Raffaele Ascenzi, the Golden and Silver Rose awards are two recognitions created to honor those citizens of Viterbo who, for work or by choice, have moved away from the city but unfailingly return every year on September 3rd to witness the Transport of Santa Rosa’s Machine.
The gold and silver distinctions differentiate two categories of awardees: those who have been living abroad for the longest time (gold), and those who have relocated to another Italian city (silver). The presentation conference was attended by Mayor Chiara Frontini, City Council President Marco Ciorba—the creator of the award—the president of the porters’ association, Massimo Mecarini, the head porter Luigi Aspromonte, the machine’s builder Vincenzo Fiorillo, Sister Francesca Pizzaia, Raffaele Ascenzi (not in his role as creator of Dies Natalis, but as the author of the silver award), and world-renowned Viterbo artist Michele Telari, author of the gold award.
The gold award is a splendid oil painting with gold leaf applications depicting Saint Rose, while the silver prize is a miniature of a detail from the machine designed by Ascenzi, showing the saint reaching her hand toward the sky, decorated with silver leaf.
The two awards will be presented to the winners shortly before the transportation of the machine on the evening of September 3rd.