Feast of the Madonna del Soccorso
That of the Madonna del Soccorso (Bedda Matri di l'Assicursu in the local dialect), patron saint of the city of Castellammare del Golfo, is an ancient religious celebration, among the most heartfelt traditions of the fishermen of the town. This festival is celebrated every year from 19 to 21 August and sees a great participation of the community of sailors of the country, through the ancient "Congregation among sailors Maria Santissima Regina del Paradiso" (also known as "Congregation among sailors Our Lady of Paradise ”), which, unlike today, was originally made up exclusively of fishermen and has always been responsible for organizing the festival also from a financial point of view. In fact, until the Seventies, all the fishermen on board used to offer a quarter of their earnings to the Mother Church of the town, for the maintenance costs of the parish and for the organization of the festival.
The Congregation among the sailors Madonna del Paradiso, responsible for organizing the celebrations in honor of the Madonna del Soccorso, made up of sailors and governed by a superior and two assistants, is of very ancient foundation. It was, in fact, established in 1741 at the Church of the Holy Souls of Purgatory, commonly known among the people of Castellammare as the Church of Purgatory or the Church of Santa Lucia. Around this date the first testimonies of the celebration of the Madonna del Soccorso in Castellammare del Golfo are attested.
The bond of the Congregation with the Madonna del Soccorso and with the Mother Church was so strong that it manifested itself in a feeling of mutual belonging between the community of fishermen and the Virgin, expressed through the Church, the simulacrum and the celebrations, the control of which (almost total) was the prerogative of sailors1.
The celebrations for the Madonna del Soccorso began at the end of July, with the daily rosary dedicated to the Virgin. From August 14th onwards all the fishermen stopped their fishing activities to dedicate themselves exclusively to the celebrations. On the 18th the real celebrations began with the creation of recreational activities that involved the entire community, such as the sea antenna and boat races.
The heart of the celebrations which are still held today, however, begin on 19 August, when the traditional procession at sea takes place, during which a fishing boat loads the papier-mâché statue of the Madonna on board, followed in procession by the other fishermen, each with your own boat. In the past, concerts and shows with well-known guests, from actors to singers, were usually held on August 20th. On this second day of celebrations, a parade of Sicilian carts is held today which crosses the streets of the historic center.
The 21st is the day of the most magnificent celebrations, during which the procession takes place through the streets of the town, on a route that winds for kilometers. The launch bearing the wooden simulacrum is carried on the shoulders of the fishermen and members of the Congregation; in ancient times, participating in the celebration in the role of bearer was forbidden to anyone who did not belong to the category of fishermen, while their children escorted the procession with the so-called "crosses", sticks about 2 meters long in the shape of a cross. By holding up the "crosses", the fishermen's children held back the crowd and prevented people from crowding onto the coffin. The procession is still accompanied today by traditional songs in Sicilian dialect and at the end there is a grandiose fireworks display. For all three days of the celebration, a fair of local artisans is set up in Piazza Petrolo.
For about 20 years, in addition to the celebration of the Madonna del Soccorso, but generally on another date (13 July or 13 September), the historical re-enactment of the miracle of the Madonna del Soccorso has also been held, thanks to which the Virgin saved the town of Castellammare del Gulf from the war clashes between the Spanish and the English (see the "Legend of the foundation of the cult of the Madonna del Soccorso").
The re-enactment is a spectacular staging that transforms the Marina of Castellammare into a large open-air theater and sees the participation of actors in period costumes, the use of ancient boats and vessels and fireworks to recall ( both in the sounds and in the play of light) the dynamics of the clash: the battle at sea, the fire at the Norman Arab Castle and the apparition of the Virgin.
Source of the text: https://reimar.it/puntodiinterest/castellammare-del-golfo-4/
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photo: By Maria8804 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112998361
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero / Web
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