Videos · Arts, Culture & Media
Breaking taboos in Italy - Opening an exclusively male ritual to women | DW Documentary
30 August 2026
Every year, the Italian town of Viterbo honors its patron saint, Santa Rosa, with a unique procession. A 30-metre-high sculpture has traditionally been carried through the town by more than 100 men. Now, women are challenging that exclusionary custom. Viterbo is an Italian town with a centuries-old tradition. Every year, on 3 September, more than a hundred men carry the huge Macchina di Santa Rosa sculpture - standing almost 30 meters tall - through the old town. For many, this ritual is a defining part of their identity. But Viterbo is changing, and a n… Video by YouTube channel.