September 8 is considered the birthday of the Blessed Mother by the Catholic Church. As a result, throughout Sicily this weekend, there are festivals to celebrate the Madonna. It’s not clear why this date was officially chosen as such; however, because this time of the agricultural year is traditionally a major harvest season, for centuries…
Tag: feast
Breadmaking As A Ritual
Ritual bread making in honor of Saint Joseph (San Giuseppe) in Salemi.
Sicily’s Legend Of Colapesce
The Sicilian legend of Colapesce was illustrated beautifully during the 2019 Archi di Pasqua of San Biagio Platani. Colapesce is a hero in Sicilians’ eyes. Born Nicola di Messina, the name Colapesce is rooted in Cola from Nicola and Pesce, fish. Colapesce was nicknamed so because he was an apt swimmer who could hold his…
Live from Sicily! Remote Town, Day 1: Welcome From The Mayor
Live from Sicily! Day 1 of Life In A Remote Sicilian Town. Guests have arrived, the mayor of Licodia Eubea came to dinner to welcome us to town, and the luminarie along the “Strada lunga” (Long street, i.e., the local name for their main street) are lit for this year’s Feast of Santa Margherita. This…
The Saintly Details
Santa Rosalia, as illustrated in this year’s Archi di Pasqua… Created in a mosaic style using cereals. She is depicted holding a skull, which is a reminder of our mortality.
Joy In The Community Effort In Sicily
The Arches of Easter or gli Archi di Pasqua continues in San Biagio Platani until June 2. It is truly an extraordinary event to visit. Two brotherhoods of the town–the Jesus side (pictured) and the Mary side spend months preparing artwork with which they line the main street of town in celebration of Easter. Yet…
The Easter Bread Arches of San Biagio Platani
Live from Sicily! We’ve experienced so much during these past two days while in Agrigento Province. A highlight has been seeing the work of the two brotherhoods from San Biagio Platini for their annual Archi di Pane, or the Easter Bread Arches. An Easter Sunday procession that unites Jesus and Mary in the center of…
Make Bread For Saint Joseph March 10 In New York City
Make bread with Experience Sicily on Sunday, March 10 at Cacio e Vino in NYC! It’s not bread you eat, however, but decorative bread, in honor of Saint Joseph. Like what women do all over southern Italy and Sicily to honor the patron saint of fathers, carpenters, and those who toil for their work, you…
Agatha Prayed Louder
Christianity was illegal during Agata’s life in the early 3rd Century AD. So, when she refused the advances of the Roman prefect Quintianus, he arrested her and condemned her to a brothel as punishment. Having sworn herself to God, she protested participating in the activities of the brothel. As a result, Agata was thrown into…
Olivette Di Sant’Agata: Olive Marzipan for Saint Agatha
The Feast of Sant’Agata is upon us, and that means olivette di Sant’Agata (pictured) can be found throughout Catania, Sicily and beyond. Olivette are green colored marzipan “olives” that may have a bit of liquor in the mix and are coded in sugar. Why olives for Agata? Legend is that when the virgin was being…