Tag: feast
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Silver Girl
In the days leading up to the Feast of Santa Lucia, December 13, many Sicilians refrain from eating pasta and only eat un-ground wheat grain, or “farro,” that is prepared as a dish called cuccìa. Devotees observe this ritual to remember the severe famine that struck Siracusa and Palermo in 1646. During that time of…
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Enchanting Sicily, Day 12: Touch the Light
LIVE from Sicily! | The annual feast of the Maria S.S. del Lume is taking place right now. Today, we went to the heart of it in the fishing village of Porticello, where devotees chanted and sang as they prepared to process the iconic painting of their Santissima who they believe protects them and their…
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Contemporary Art for an Ancient Icon
The spectacular and colorful Sanctuary, “il Santuario della Madonna del Tindari,” was built in the 20th century to accommodate the flow of pilgrims coming to see the iconic statue of Tindari’s “Madonna Bruna” or Black Madonna. This mural is from the dome above the church’s main altar. September 8 is the feast day in honor…
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Celebrating the Black Madonna of Tindari
Thousands of pilgrims are expected on Monday, September 7 at the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of Tindari. The town of Patti is even planning to close down one side of State Highway 113 to accommodate all the devotees expected to participate in the multiple masses, the solemn evening procession of the iconic Madonna Nera…
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Cefalù’s Festa di Santissimo Salvatore della Trasfigurazione
Thursday, August 6 is a significant day in Cefalù. It is the town’s annual celebration of their patron saint, Santissimo Salvatore della Trasfigurazione (also known as Christ Pantocrator). The tradition stems from the celebrated cathedral, or duomo, of the town that was recently recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site (part of the Arab-Norman gems…
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Healing Bones
“Viva Palermo e viva Santa Rosalia!” July 14 and 15 marks the Feast of Santa Rosalia in Palermo. Last night was Il Festino, an event that I’ve blogged about in the past. Different from the revelry of Il Festino, on the 15th, citizens practice a solemn tradition: the clergy parade the saint’s bones through the city…
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The Cows Knew Something
The annual Feast of the Holy Cross and Tataratà Festival, or Festa di Santa Croce e Tataratà celebrates folklore having to do with the founding of Casteltermini. Legend is that before the town was founded in 1629, a herder noticed that his cows congregated and knelt down at a specific spot day after day. Curious,…
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Tataratà: Say It and You’ll Understand
This past Sunday, the town Casteltermini held the Festa di Santa Croce e Sagra del Tataratà. Experience Sicily’s Filippo Buttitta went to see this antique feast and took some magnificent photos which I’ll share over the next few days. Annually held on the fourth Sunday of May, the medieval feast features, among other traditions, citizens…
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Say It, You’ll Like It
Carciofo (or carciofi, plural) is one of my most favorite Italian words to say. It sounds and feels like when you are chewing, (Car-Chiey-Oh-Foh) which is why I like it. It means artichoke. And well, in Sicily, spring is artichoke season! Artichokes pervade every market right now, and you know what that means–there are artichoke…