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It is an ancient event which is over 300 years old and which marks the beginning of the Easter period in Castel di Lucio. The forty hours consist of two days of uninterrupted prayers from the last Sunday of Carnival until the Eucharistic celebration which takes place on Shrove Tuesday. This ancient tradition still takes place today in the church of San Carlo Borromeo which, for the occasion, is filled with oranges. Compositions are created with oranges, tied to form bunches and braids, which decorate the altar, the walls, the vault and even the chandeliers of the church, creating a very suggestive atmosphere. At the end of forty hours, the oranges are distributed to the faithful.
This ancient tradition of decorating the church with oranges is now also repeated on Palm Sunday, but on this occasion the church of SS. Sacramento.
The origin of the tradition of decorating the church with oranges seems to have started from the devotion of a farmer who, as thanks for the grace received, donated all the oranges from his garden, the only thing in his possession, and he took them to the church of San Carlo Borromeo.
