The first image that comes to mind when thinking about the July Palio is the festive appearance of the Provenzano church, full of brightly colored flags fluttering in the breeze, the joyous drum rolls and the faces of the people of the winning contrada streaked with tears of joy as they sing the “Te Deum” of thanksgiving to the Virgin right in front of the little terracotta statue, so generous with miracles and grace, for which this great shrine was built. During these fantastic days, Provenzano becomes the church of all the people of Siena and of all the contradas. It is here that the silk banner is brought the evening before the race: right after the final trial is run, a procession of the representatives of the municipal government, the seventeen pages from the contradas, the civic and military authorities, and all the contrada members proceeds on foot from the Palazzo Pubblico to Provenzano. In the church, the banner is blessed and left on display, illuminated by candlelight, all night long, along with the flags of the contradas. The next morning, the Archbishop, together with the priests from the seventeen contradas, called co-rectors, concelebrate a solemn Mass. The evening of the long-awaited 2 July, after the race run in Piazza del Campo, the festive parade of the victorious contrada reaches Provenzano and fills the church with its members who, in front of the high . . .