Buon Ferragosto! 😀
Topolino #3116 cover by Giorgio Cavazzano and Andrea Cagol.
Or Happy Feriae Augusti ^^
The 15th of August is a public holiday in Italy named Ferragosto as derivative of the Feriae Augusti.
Emperor Augustus made the 1st of August a day of rest after weeks of hard work on the croplands (and the workers also received a monetary bonus), the Church then moved the festivity to the 15th of August to allow to Assumption of Mary to be included in the celebration.
The Fascist government then expanded the holiday from 14th to 16th of August during which less wealthy classes were encouraged to visit cultural cities or just have three days at the seaside thanks to the very low costs so-called "holiday trains". Since then, Ferragosto and the mid August long-weekend became the italians' big summer vacation period (and also the worst days to find yourself on a highway... XDD).














