Carloforte remember the 15th of November the slavery in Tabarca

Madonna dello Schiavo (Madonna of the Slave) is one of the traditional celebration in Carloforte (Island of San Pietro, Sulcis-Iglesiente) dated 15 November. The celebration goes back to the beginning of the XIX century, when hundreds of Carlofortines returned to the Island after 5 years of slavery in Tunisia: 933 people were captured by the pirates and sold as slaves in the Tunisi market. In Africa, they found an hardwood statue representing the Virgin, wedged into the branches of two trees. They took the statue with them to Tunisi and, several times they invoked her secretly asking for their freedom.

The men were redeemed in 1803 and did not forget carrying the little statue to Carloforte, where they dedicated her a place of prayer. From that time, the 15 November is the date in which the descendant of those slaves and worshipers give birth to a popular thanksgiving procession in Carloforte.