Festivals and folklore
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper and washing of the feet. Replacement of the SS. Sacrament in his chapel richly decorated.
Good Friday evening parade (9:00 – 12:00pm) with urn of the dead Christ and the Addolorata. The event is highly suggestive because the crowd participates with absolute silence that is only occasionally pierced by the shout “Signuri Misiricordia“.
Corpus Christi parades in the village neighborhoods throughout the week. In the morning takes place the ceremony of the sacrament of the First Communion for children and in the evening the solemn parade. The Octave of Corpus Christi (Sunday): adorned altars are arranged with flowers along the streets and balconies are decorated with old blankets and embroidery.
Light Festival: international festival of music, theater, dance and poetry that takes place in the days of the summer solstice (June 21) at the sculpture of Pyramid 38th Parallel.
St. Joseph tradition of “Virginieddi” and parade: March 19.
May 22: Santa Rita day and blessing of the roses with parade.
September: Madonna del Tindari day and parade
September: Holy Cross of “Cucciuni” parade to the rural church
The first Sunday of August: Feast of San Giuseppe in Torremuzza.
The feast of the Preserver San Rocco
It takes place every August 16th. From the 7th to the 15th August, the festival begins with the Novena composed by traditional prayers and the celebration of a Mass in the church of San Rocco. On the evening of the 15th, after the parade in honor of the Holy Virgin solemnly are held first Vespers. The holyday starts with the “Mass of the Pilgrim” (7:00 am), at the end of which blessed bread, similar to the one in the dog’s mouth that accompanies the statue of the Saint, is distributed to the crowd. Follows a “parade of miracles” to gather the blessed devoted that hold a candle (which represents the vows or the so-called “miraculi“) (10.00 am). The afternoon is amused by games in the square and the traditional “historical ride” (a parade of horses) that ends with the recitation of a dialect poetry in honor of the saint. In the evening (7.00 pm) there is the solemn parade of the statue carried on a pompous and heavy wooden launch transported on the shoulder by a real human chain to the steep streets of the center (via San Carlo). The festivity is very well participated by citizens, emigrants and by the inhabitants of close villages. The day ends with concerts or shows and the inevitable fireworks, awaited by all until late at night. It is a feast to see but above all to live.
Festival in honor of San Sebastiano
It takes place every August 19th, though according to the liturgical calendar, the holy day is on January 20. It was decided to celebrate it in the summer to facilitate their participation to immigrants and to have a better climate. The day begins with the traditional music band that goes around the main streets of the village. The festival is full of great suggestions thanks to the two parades of the day: “Processione della questua” were the statue of San Sebastiano is carried on a fine launch dated back in 1619 all decorated with ribbons of many different colors. This first parade takes place at 14.00 pm and reaches all the districts of the village and the carriers, “I nuri ” in a traditional white costume with a red belt and completely barefoot, run manifesting their athleticism; During this parade, the same carriers, the music band and all participants, stop from time to time in the various narrow streets to bless the relic of St. Sebastian and occasionally dinner tables are set for restoring carriers and devoted and the whole event creates a happy atmosphere of popular participation. The evening parade, shorter than the former, goes through the village only on the track of all other official parades. The day of celebration ends with a show in Piazza San Luca. On 20 January 2010, however, after 115 years, has being restored the custom of feasting the parade in honor of Saint Sebastian also on the day of the liturgical holy day.