THE BYZANTINE NEW YEAR'S DAY: AMALFI CELEBRATES ITS HISTORY

Every year, from August 31 to September 2, Amalfi is transformed: ancient banners decorate the town, people in medieval costumes roam the streets, cultural events and historical re-enactments are organized in large numbers: but what are the origins of this event? Read on to find out more!

by Roberta Cascone

At the turn of August and September, the towns of Amalfi and nearby Atrani celebrate a very special occasion: it is the Capodanno Bizantino, literally the Byzantine New Year’s day! Have you ever heard of it?
The Byzantine New Year’s day is an exciting historical re-enactment that involves all the citizens and visitors of the two Coastal towns: attending it is like taking a journey into the customs and traditions of the past, a truly evocative experience!
The two towns are colored with drapes and coats of arms of ancient medieval lineages, and locals will be transformed for a couple of days into pages, ladies and knights, ready to crown the new Magister of Amalfi Civilization.
Typically, the Magister is chosen among personalities of Amalfi origin or adoption who have distinguished themselves for particular merits in one of the areas of ancient Amalfi civilization, from business to politics, from science to seafaring, and his or her identity is revealed only a few days before the event. The investiture of the Magister, a rite inspired by the medieval coronation of the Dukes of Amalfi, takes place on one of the evenings of the event; after that, the Magister will reach Piazza Duomo along with the procession to be presented to the town’s people.
So for a couple of days Amalfi goes back to the time of the Eastern Empire, but did you wonder why? Find out with us!

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The Byzantine New Year. Ph by comune.amalfi.sa.it

A bit of history

The Byzantine New Year is the event with which Amalfi commemorates its glorious past. In the time of the Eastern Empire, September 1 marked the beginning of the fiscal and legal year and was also the day on which the comites, that is, the heads of the Maritime Republic, took office. It was a medievalist from Amalfi, Giuseppe Gargano, who came up with the idea of returning to celebrate this date around 1980. The first edition of the Byzantine New Year took place in 1999 and has continued until today, with a single break in 2010, after which the focus of the event was shifted from the field of law and jurisprudence alone to other areas of Amalfi culture. The nomination of the Magister has also undergone some changes: if in the first years this was chosen only from among prominent names in the world of jurisprudence, since 2011 it has been decided to broaden the field to include personalities who have brought prestige to Amalfi's history in the most diverse fields.
This year, the XXIV edition of the event is dedicated to diplomatic skills and international relations and is associated with the historic figure of Pantaleone de Comite, a merchant who managed to build fruitful ties between the East and the ancient Amalfi Republic.
The Byzantine New Year therefore returns at the end of August as the fitting conclusion to the Amalfi Summer Fest, and will end with Arisa's big concert in Piazza Duomo on September 2.

The historical procession. Ph by comune.amalfi.sa.it

Who will the new Magister be?

Just days before the event, the name of the Magister of Civiltà Amalfitana for the 2024 edition has finally been revealed! It’s Franco Nuschese, born in Minori in 1961 and founder of Café Milano in Washington, where he has lived for more than 30 years. Cafè Milano is a refined and elegant venue where one can enjoy the authentic flavors of Italian cuisine. Over the years it has hosted many U.S. presidents and for this reason it has been dubbed “the White House restaurant” by the New York Times: in short, Nuschese's creation has become a true institution in the American capital!
In addition to owning several major international companies, the entrepreneur also boasts a nomination as a Commendatore of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, obtained from the President of the Republic precisely for spreading a positive image of Italians in America and around the world. Nuschese's story is thus a wonderful example of the entrepreneurial skills of a citizen of the Amalfi Coast, who has been able to retrace the steps of the greats who made the history of the Ancient Maritime Republic.

The program of the XXIV edition

The Magister will be interviewed on the first day of the Byzantine New Year, Aug. 31, at 8 p.m. in Amalfi's Largo Duca Piccolomini.
On Sunday, September 1, there will be the highly anticipated Historical Procession, opened by the “Sbandieratori e Musici città Regia” at 6:15 p.m. in Piazza Duomo. At 6:30 p.m., the Procession will head from the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Amalfi to the Church of San Salvatore de Birecto in Atrani, where the investiture of the Magister will take place, in the very venue where the coronation of the Dukes of Amalfi was held in the Middle Ages. At the end of the ceremony the procession will return to the Cathedral of Amalfi and it will arrange itself on the imposing staircase and the Magister will be presented to the citizenry. Finally, at 9:15 p.m. you can watch the fire show right there in the Piazza, an evocative and exciting moment organized by the Belgian company Pyronix.
The grand finale is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 2: the protagonist will be music, with Arisa’s live concert in Piazza Duomo at 9:30 p.m.

Trust me, you can't miss it-it will be the perfect way to end your summer on the Amalfi Coast!

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On September 1, 2024, there will be traffic restrictions because of the event.
Transit along the Amalfi State Highway SS163 will not be permitted in the section between Amalfi and Atrani
- from 18:15 to 19:15
- from 20:00 to 21:00.
Traffic closure in the historic center of Amalfi is scheduled:
- from 18:00 to 19:00
- from 20:00 to 22:00.
On the occasion of the Byzantine New Year, Travelmar will operate extraordinary sea connections on Sunday, September 1 and Monday, September 2, 2024:
- From Salerno to Amalfi (with stops in Cetara and Minori) at 8:30 p.m.
- From Amalfi to Salerno (with stops in Minori and Cetara) at midnight.
For more information visit their website at this link.