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Itineraries of faith.
Devotion suspended 'twixt sky and sea.
Are Sicilians religious? They must certainly be cautious, if you
consider there are almost seven hundred patron saints looking
after the 389 Sicilian towns! Palermo alone has twenty "ordinary
saints", fifteen "principal saints", four female "patron saints"
who can be seen at the Quattro Canti, and one "patron to watch
over all", Santa Rosalia. Why so many saints? Perhaps because,
unlike God, they too were once mortals on this earth and were
considered to be the only ones capable of understanding and providing
for human needs. And then, after all, it's the saints who perform
miracles…The festivities in their honour originate from ancient
pagan cults, rites linked to the solstice and the seasons, while
others may strictly speaking have little to do with religion.
From the tenth to the fifteenth of July, in the sweltering heat
of summer, the inhabitants of Palermo are in a state of frenzy:
it's Festino time.
The Festino is hard to explain.
It is most certainly the peak moment of city life, a gigantic
popular ex-voto dedicated to Santa Rosalia as a thanksgiving.
She it was who saved the people of Palermo from the plague in
1624. This is the last surviving example of the "baroque festivals"
of Europe, with a triumphal chariot, huge enough to transport
a band of musicians. It is a symbol of the city, unique in Europe,
demonstrating the wealth and splendour of Palermo. An act of municipal
pride, to remind people - spectators and participants alike -
of the City's regal dignity! Still today, for many, Santa Rosalia
remains the Great Hope. |
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