L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano W hile Sicily's m o s t active vol- c a n o e s , Stromboli and Etna, had been continu- ously rumbling for several days, Palermo was celebrating the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the relics of Ros- a l i a S i n i b a l d i , k n o w n a s Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo, affectionate- l y c a l l e d S a n t u z z a b y t h e devout Palermitans. Last year, during the 399th anniversary celebration, the city's mayor and archbishop announced grand festivities for the 400th Festino of the saint. They did not disap- point. The celebrations have taken place, and will continue to do so, throughout July. Events highlighting the city's cultural and artistic rich- ness—without neglecting its t r a d i t i o n s — w i l l s h o w c a s e local excellence. Local busi- nesses participating in the p r o j e c t o f f e r p r o d u c t s inspired by Rosalia, aiming to create a link between devo- tion, innovation, culture, and territorial promotion in the name of the Santuzza. The theme of this 400th edition of the Festino is the hope of rebirth, as previously encouraged by Archbishop M o n s i g n o r L o r e f i c e in 2023. He urged the popula- tion not to be intimidated and to reject the temptations of drugs, which he described as a poison for society, destroying entire generations and caus- i n g u n j u s t i f i a b l e d e a t h s . When the singers of Il Volo, the event's guests of honor, performed Nessun Dorma, it was as if they gave the signal for the bishop's speech. He began his address by borrow- ing the opening words of Puc- cini's Turandot, urging the approximately 350,000 atten- dees to stay vigilant in the fight against the mafia, which also kills through drug traf- ficking. Lorefice also con- veyed a message from the Pope to the faithful of Paler- mo, encouraging them to face the challenges delaying the city's rebirth with "strength of spirit." The celebrations in honor of Santa Rosalia have evolved over time. Initially, beginning in 1625, the commemorative event was purely religious. H o w e v e r , f r o m t h e 1 7 0 0 s onward, the festivities began to extend first to three days, and then to five, partly due to popular demand. The floats carrying the statue of the San- tuzza have changed over the centuries, but the goal has always been to show splendor and luxury in Rosalia's honor. One of the most magnificent floats ever, which has parad- ed along Via del Cassaro both historically and today, is the one created by Rodo Santoro, an artist born in Greece who lived in Palermo. This float, based on a design by architect P a o l o A m a t o , w h o l i v e d between the late 1600s and the early 1700s, was featured in the procession along Corso V i t t o r i o E m a n u e l e ( a l s o known as Cassaro) for fifteen consecutive years starting in 1974. It was the most opulent float, resulting from Santoro's detailed research and featur- ing costumed figures. The float was a great success and became a true triumphal car- riage, eliciting admiration and enthusiasm among faith- ful Palermitans and visitors devoted to the saint, who gather every year for the Fes- tino. This year, two floats were featured in the parade: the triumphal float with the stat- u e o f S a n t a R o s a l i a a n d a n o t h e r r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e plague from which Rosalia liberated the city. The proces- sion began with this second float in front of the Royal Palace, marking the first act of the "rebirth" procession. The traditional stop at the Q u a t t r o C a n t i ( P i a z z a V i g l i e n a ) w a s o b s e r v e d , where Mayor La Galla, the former Rector of the Univer- sity of Palermo, proclaimed the iconic phrase: Viva Paler- mo e Santa Rosalia, while i m a g e s o f t h e o t h e r f o u r patron saints of Palermo — A g a t a , O l i v a , N i n f a , a n d Cristina —were projected onto the buildings at the four corners. The parade, accompanied by music, theatrical perfor- m a n c e s , p r o j e c t i o n s , a n d speeches, made its way to Porta Felice, where stalls offered typical festive treats: nougat, dried fruit, frozen melon, and gelato di cam- pagna, a sugary dessert col- ored like the Italian flag, as well as calia (roasted chick- peas) and simenza (pumpkin seeds). The entire event was presented with impeccable scenic and decorative flair. We also like to remember that, in Palermo, there is a c h u r c h d e d i c a t e d t o t h e patron saint in the San Loren- zo Colli district, in the north- western part of the city. Built b y A r c h b i s h o p C a r d i n a l Michelangelo Celesia and i n a u g u r a t e d i n 1 9 0 0 , i t became a parish only in 1924 b y t h e w i l l o f C a r d i n a l Alessandro Lualdi, founder of t h e D i o c e s a n M u s e u m o f Palermo. This was because, on the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the saint's remains, there was no church dedicated to Santa Rosalia. The one on Via Marchese Ugo was not yet ready, and the 18th-century church had been demolished to make way for Via Roma, another major artery of the city. But the Festino of Santa Rosalia was also marked by bloodshed. In 1820, King Fer- dinand I of the Two Sicilies, by abolishing the old Consti- tution and promulgating the new one, had revoked certain privileges of the Sicilian aris- tocracy. On July 15 of that same year, during the proces- sion of the triumphal float, a riot broke out as the people d e m a n d e d i n d e p e n d e n c e from the then-capital Naples. There was significant dam- age, and even a statue of the King was destroyed; rifles were stolen from Castello a Mare, prison doors were bro- ken down, and many prison- ers joined the rioters. Viceroy Diego Naselli had to flee to Naples; a delegation sent to represent the needs of the Palermitans was arrested and confined. Troops were sent to Sicily to quell the expanding revolt. It was the intervention of Prince Paternò that averted a f i g h t b e t w e e n t h e r o y a l troops and the rebels. Ferdi- nand I did not accept this peaceful solution and sent another commander who car- ried out a harsh repression, w i t h m a n y c o n d e m n e d t o death by guillotine. The final toll of that 1820 Festino was 300 dead and 400 wounded. S i m i l a r e p i s o d e s d i d n o t occur again. Fast forward to 2024, the float of the Santuzza is repre- sented by a white lily, symbol- izing Rosalia's purity, holding a red rose in fusion with the pistil, representing light and hope, and her dress is golden to recall baroque richness. Almost rivaling the erup- tions of Sicily's two volcanoes, a grand display of fireworks over the sea, lasting an hour, concluded the celebration of the 400th Festino of Santa Rosalia, and with it, the cele- bration of the city of Palermo, for the city itself is the Festi- no. TERESA DI FRESCO LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Palermo and its protector Santa Rosalia: a tribute to the city and its patron saint One of the floats dedicated to La Santuzza (Photo: REDMASON/Dreamstime)

• Cover