On Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, Bordighera renews one of its oldest traditions: the parmureli, white date palm leaves hand-woven into roses, crosses, doves and fish, are blessed during Mass and then exchanged or given as a sign of peace.
In the weeks leading up to the feast, at the Oratory of San Bartolomeo degli Armeni in Piazza del Popolo in Bordighera Alta, volunteers from historic families weave the parmureli, which can be seen in the making and purchased.
The history of these palms, from the legend of Capitan Bresca to the leaves grown in the dark, is told in the article The Palms of Bordighera: Capitan Bresca and the Parmureli. To see the palms in person, walk along the Sentiero del Beodo to the historic palm grove.
