Medieval Festival Kicks Off Tomorrow in Motta

Photo Courtesy of Casa Normanna Press Office

By Alberto Lunetta NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

It’s that time of the year again. Get ready to travel back in time! The Motta Feste Medievali (medieval festivals) bring to life the customs and spirit of the Middle Ages. Travel back in time to revel in the atmosphere of medieval Sicily when the island was under Norman, Spanish, and Arab control! This year’s festival runs from August 10 - 18 and features a plethora of events such as medieval cooking, craft displays, music, jousting, jesters, minstrels and other street entertainers. Bring the entire family to be transported back in time to the days of medieval Sicily!

The festival takes place within the city’s three geographic districts: Panzera, Vecchia Matrice, and Giovani Maestri. Each district has its own proud tradition and schedule of events that include medieval plays and performances. For more information and detailed schedules visit the following websites: www.casanormanna. it, www.sbandieratorimaestri. it, and www.rionepanzera.it.

Mineo’s Saint Agrippina Festival Begins Next Weekend

By Alberto Lunetta NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Mineo’s annual religious festival to honor its patron saint, Agrippina, is taking place on the weekends of August 17-18 and 24-25. This must-see festival will include somber religious processions, holy masses, fireworks, and music.

Saint Agrippina was a princess who was martyred by Roman Emperor Valerian in 256 AD because she was a Christian. According to oral tradition, after being buried in Rome, her holy relics were taken to Sicily by three holy women and arrived in Mineo in 261 AD.

During the first weekend of the festival, there will be spectacular fireworks and the lighting of “luminarie” (light displays) in the main square, piazza Buglio. On Sunday at 1800, the statue of the patron saint is paraded from the cathedral through the city streets for veneration. At the end of the procession, a fireworks show will be held along viale F. Crispi.

On the afternoon of Sunday August 25, there will be a concert at 1700 and a solemn holy mass at 1900 at the Church of Santa Agrippina. After a repeat procession of her statue at 2000, another fireworks show will be held at midnight along viale F. Crispi.

The “Pellegrinaggio dei Nudi” (pilgrimage of the naked ones), which takes place in the town’s center on the night of August 24 at 1800, is another highlight of the festival. Nudi are barefoot devotees dressed in white shorts and t-shirts with a red sash and a black velvet belt. They are called “naked ones” because in the past, they only wore white underwear and carried a picture of the saint and flowers.

The devotees’ minimal dressing derives from a legend about how a terrible earthquake woke up Mineo’s townspeople in 1693. Hundreds rushed into the streets wearing only their nightshirts and invoked Saint Agrippina for the cessation of the tremors.Today, devotees scream in Sicilian: “Viva la nostra patrona Sant’Agrippina!” (Long live Saint Agrippina, our patron saint!) They also recite the rosary and sing hymns in Sicilian.

After the World Wars, many Mineo residents who survived the fighting made a vow to make a pilgrimage every year in Mineo for the rest of their lives. Saint Agrippina is also venerated for having protected Mineo against a devastating earthquake that hit the town in 1975.

Saint Agrippina is also celebrated in Boston with a spectacular festival. For the occasion, many people who are originally from Mineo but live abroad return to Sicily participate in the festival, demonstrating their faith and carrying the statue.

For more information and detailed festival schedules, visit www.facebook. com/CircoloSantaAgrippina.

Visiting Mineo, the City of Poets

Sigonellans will surely enjoy visiting Mineo’s breathtaking landscapes, experiencing its festivals, fairs and taking a breath of fresh and cool air especially during the torrid Sicilian summer. Corkscrewing the sharp turns that lead to Mineo, one notes that the city looks like a pottery nativity scene. In additional to its landscape and festivals, Mineo is famous for its literary tradition. According to Sicilian novelist Giuseppe Bonaviri, there is a magical spot in Mineo called “Piano di Camuti” (plain of Camuti). According to one myth, Mineo’s pregnant women are told to go to that plain and sit on a “philosopher’s stone” if they want their unborn children to develop a talent in poetry.

Mineo’s community has been indeed producing dialectal poets and writers galore. It is the birthplace of novelist Luigi Capuana, one of the masters of “verismo,” a literary movement of the 19th century marked by the presentation of realistic life using common people characters such as fishermen and peasants who are often treated in a melodramatic manner. An ideal tour of Mineo would begin by walking through narrow streets of its historic heart and visiting the Church of San Pietro, a baroque masterpiece featuring beautiful paintings, a magnificent organ dating back to 1772, and a precious walnut choir.

From the church, one can see the ruins of the ancient Castello di Ducezio enjoining a great view of the surrounding hills. The ruins include part of the exterior defensive walls and the main tower. This magnificent castle is named after Ducezio, an ancient Sicilian commander who founded several cities in Sicily.

Then, a must-see stop is the Chiesa di Santa Agrippina, the town’s cathedral that is named after the patron saint of Mineo. Originally a private chapel in 263 AD and later a mosque in the 14th century, it was rebuilt in the 17th century after its structure was damaged by the famous 1693 earthquake. Inside the church is a 1518 AD polychrome wooden statue depicting the saint, precious stuccoes, and a unique 16th century wooden nativity scene.

At the main square, you should also visit the Chiesa del Collegio, a church that is part of the town hall architectural complex. It has an impressive shrine featuring thousands of bones belonging to local saints. The town hall also houses a small museum dedicated to Capuana. Admission is free.

For more touristic information on Mineo, visit the town’s official web site: http://www.comune.mineo.ct.it/