Yesterday was the feast of St Agatha, the patron Saint of her native city of Catania in Sicily. Dr Kwasniewski is currently there with a pilgrimage group, and took these pictures of the procession with her relics on the eve of the feast. The local custom is to carry decorated candles during the procession, and with the classically southern Italian idea that if a thing is worth doing, it’s worth overdoing, some of these candles are absolutely enormous, weighing about a hundred pounds. There are also some very lovely photos of the very tall floats made by various confraternities and religious for the processions.
Peter wrote about attending this event, “I saw today in Catania one of the most extraordinary sights of my life: hundreds of thousands of Sicilians paying homage to their patroness St Agatha—in the carrying of hundred-pound (and more) enormous candles; in the offering of countless individual candles and bouquets of flowers; in waiting for hours for the Saint’s relics to pass by, borne on a gigantic silver reliquary float pulled by hundreds of devotees wearing white garments and medallions; in the elaborate carved representations of each historic guild; in shouting ‘Viva Sant’ Agatha!’," and fireworks—an ENTIRE CITY completely given over to a three-day ritual of devotion that has been repeated for centuries. NOTHING like this exists in the Anglo world. I have serious civilizational envy. My eyes welled with tears several times. How could one not be moved to the depth of one’s being?”The cathedral decorated and lit up for the feast.
The giant silver reliquary carried in the procession.
LOTS of candles!
An honor guard stays with the reliquary when it is in the cathedral. The military unit providing the guard is called the Carabinieri (riflemen), which is a kind of national police force, but is legally part of the Italian army. It originated as a company within the army of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and retains a colorful parade uniform from the 19th century.
Parade floats of various confraternities.
More of the very large candles which some people carry in the procession.
Decorations on the floats...
including a representation of St Agatha’s breasts, since one of the torments to which she was subjected in her martyrdom was having them cut off. St Peter the Apostle then appeared to her after she was brought back to the prison, and healed her.
St Agatha in the prison.
Candles for sale!
