The ways of popular religiousness in Siciliy are various and of different aspects. Deeply rooted in
the memory and in the time, each of these show a depth religious and devotion feelings with a
festiveness typical of the Sicilian people. Often these ceremonies are repeated from many hundred
years. This is also the case of the "Firriata of them Turci", or procession of the torches, in which
faith and history are mixed. The “Firriata” develops it in “Ciminna”, small city near Palermo. City
with origin Greek-Punic takes its name from the Arabic “Soemina” that means fat, evidently
reported to the fertility of the ground. The symbol of town in fact is on the top a griffon, and under a
breast, symbol of fertility. The actual country rises around in Norman epoch to a castle, that was
destroyed for war reasons in the 1326. The most important Church originally rose as chapel of the
castle. As all the small centers of Siciliy also “Ciminna” has a numerous churches, often
disproportionate in comparison to the number of inhabitants, rich of works of art. The most
important holy days of Ciminna are those of Sain Vito and of the Crucified with the “Firriata of
turches”. This was celebrated for the first time in 1651, while the first news written of the “Firriata”
goes up again to the 1820. During this holy day is revered a woody statue of a black Christ that is
more than 400 years old and that is considered miraculous, also according to ancient written
testimonies. It is frequent to see in Siciliy statues or black images of Jesus Crhist and the Virgin.
Often it is a memory of the different dominations that have been present in the island, especially of
Arabian populations. The most famous are the black Virgin of “Tindari”, near Messina and Saint
Calogero, who is protector black saint of Agrigento. The holy day of the Saint Cross, is celebrated,
the first sunday of May, in the church of Saint John the Baptist, and after itґs the Firriata. After the
Mass people prepare the mules. These are harnessed with elegant ancient housing (trapping)
prepared really for such occasion. Originally this happened with the turn of the city of riders to
back of the mules. Each of these riders brought a prepared torch with silk ribbons , images of the
Cross, flowers and, advancing for the streets distributed sweets and gifts of various type to the
people. Actually, after the preparation of the mules, a rider dressed with Sicilian traditional clothes,
conducts seven tied up mules between them up to the church crossing the whole town. Here all the
participants assemble themselves, with the musical band and other riders with own animals.
These introduce themselves to the rider with the mules in front of the church to receive some gifts.
Subsequently the rider with the seven mules begins the final turn of the square, and, turning in
circle, start to throw an enormous quantity of different gifts to the population. In this moment is
producede the perfect synthesis between faith and popular party. And it is a show to see with what
elegance the mules move, as they were almost conscious of their role, while the people has
competition to take the every gifts. Nobody has to remain without gifts. This throwing of gifts
lasts in fact from the two to the three hours. During the evening is the real religious procession.
The statue of the black Christ is brought out of the church and around the town, trought the narrow
streets, where sometimes it passes only for few centimeters, followed by the whole population to
return back at last then in the church waiting for the next holy day.
Вернуться к изображениям
