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 Syracuse: Traditional festivities
Religious faith is all mixed up with superstition and legend;
worship is linked to ancient customs and incorporated in age-old cults which
remain in the memory of peasant traditions. This occurs all over Sicily, and the
province of Syracuse is no exception to this rule.
Although the city of Syracuse
is now modern and apparently secularized, in December and in May there is
renewed interest for the patron saint, Santa Lucia.
On December 13 a long procession goes from the Cathedral in
Ortigia to the basilica of Santa Lucia fuori le Mura. A week later, the
procession goes in the opposite direction, with the statue of the saint carried
on the shoulders of the “beretti verdi” or “green berets”, members of the
carpenters’ guild; the “Carozza del Senato”, a rococo coach with liveried
footmen and pages, brings up the rear of the procession.
 Saint
Lucy, the Queen of Light, is also traditionally brought from Sweden to take
part. The first Sunday in May is the celebration of Santa Lucia delle Quaglie,
when a flight of pigeons is released in front of the saint in the gardens of the
Archbishop’s Palace.
San Sebastiano is also worshipped with great devotion all
over the province. The most important festivity of all, however, is that of
Melilli, during the night between May 3 and 4, when the nuri, worshippers who
come on foot from even the most remote corners of the province, arrive at the
sanctuary.
San Sebastiano is also worshipped at Palazzolo on August 10
to celebrate the return home of the emigrants. Another extremely important date
is June 29, when there is no limit to the amount of money spent in order not to
appear inferior to the “Sampaulisi”, the followers of San Paolo, patron saint of
the city since 1689.
Promptly at one p.m., at the same time as their “rival”,
the saint is dramatically brought out of the simulacrum, with a great explosion
of fireworks and a shower of nzareddi, colored paper streamers with “San Paolo
Patrono di Palazzolo” printed on them.
Another well-loved festivity of Palazzolo and also of Avola,
is the age-old carnival. At Noto, apart from the celebration of the patron saint
San Corrado Confalonieri on the last Sunday in August, there is also the
Infiorata, or flower festival, of Via Nicolaci in the second half of May.
Courtesy of
APT Siracusa
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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