Before continuing, if you are planning a visit to
MARETTIMO,
here you can find some useful resources to choose where to stay, where to eat and what to do nearby.
In the province of Trapani are different celebrations in honor of St. Joseph, but the most heard is the one that takes place in the island of Marettimo, where the saint, considered by the Catholic Church the foster father of Jesus, is honored in a special way since it is considered the patron saint of the island.
The celebrations begin begin with a novena and the icon of the saint is framed at the "Altars" that families allestiscono island in their own homes.
In addition to the image of the saint and the holy family Marettimo devotees expose different symbolic objects like three oranges, "cucciddrati" (bread), the "panuzzi", lit candles, vases filled with barcu and a flower called wallflower sinuata, blooming in Marettimo in this period.
And peculiar being that a close-knit community, where everyone knows everyone else, in these days leading up to March 19 the atmosphere is really what the feast, which recalls, even in this period is still the winter, several hundred tourists, who flock in most distant of Egadi to relive the atmosphere with joy, that only a village community can recreate.
On Christmas Eve is the flag raising with the image of the saint and the band that travels the country to raise money for the rite of "Duminiara", which takes place on Christmas Eve.
It consists in lighting three piles of bundles of wood composed of shrubs collected on the island and allowed to dry for a few days and the three fires represent the Holy Family; Traditionally, the central fire burned the old boats, shouting "Long live u Patriarch of Saint Gnuseppe", followed by a choral "Vivaaa".
Had as a prologue to this particular ritual, finally comes the day of the festival, which begins with the band, which runs through the village streets, the main square is decorated with a stage decked.
After the celebration of Mass, which for the occasion is celebrated by the Bishop of Trapani, Msgr. Pietro Maria Fragnelli, prepares lunch with a beautiful set table, on which there will be the traditional lunch Ammitata said the Saints, who are listed in three of the country, which will embody Mary, Jesus and Joseph under the notes of the musical band.
The festivities will close in the afternoon with the traditional rite of the keys to the saint by the Mayor of the Egadi.
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