July 16 - Porto Empedocle (AG)
The festival of Our Lady of the Carmine is rooted in the very origins of the city of Porto Empedocle (Ag). When around 1840 the fishermen, "paranzara," their permanent home in the country with their families, to Girgenti, their birthplace, they left something still compelled them to nearby cities: their patroness, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, for recurrence of which, every year on his feast, which falls on July 16, we came home, and lavishing gifts go there and vote. In the long run, however, determining itself went into a strong attachment to their new residence. It seemed to them more just that here they had a church, dedicated to the worship of their patron saint. E 'with the construction of the new church took place in 1863 that regularly celebrates the festivities in honor of the Virgin. It can be said, therefore, which is the oldest festival in the country, which, albeit with ups and downs, as if to mark the same step with the life of the country that hosts it, has always indicated a point of reference, a date meeting, a moment of communion among all empedoclini scattered everywhere.
The party has taken in different moments of village life stages of religious exaltation, or simply traditional festival. We recall the events that took place during the festival in 1955, when it was combined with the celebration of the sea. Since then, though not with the same magnificence, has increasingly assumed a reminder, as well as religious, tourist, for the period in which to fall, especially for events that accompany the festivities, which of course are, for most typically sailors, by striking "varchiata at sea", sea procession of the artistic statue, depicting the Madonna of Carmel with the Infant Jesus, kneeling, St. Simon Stock, including the joyful sound of the sirens of ships in port and the brilliance of multicolored lights and torches (which is the most touching part of the event), the antenna in the seas (which takes place in the glass of water in front of the west pier, and is the ability to grab a flag attached to the end of an auction soapy fixed horizontally on a stern trawler), the festival of the frying pan (which is a huge frying pan where they are placed in fish that are then distributed free to the public). The feast ends the night with the return to Mother Church.
The party has taken in different moments of village life stages of religious exaltation, or simply traditional festival. We recall the events that took place during the festival in 1955, when it was combined with the celebration of the sea. Since then, though not with the same magnificence, has increasingly assumed a reminder, as well as religious, tourist, for the period in which to fall, especially for events that accompany the festivities, which of course are, for most typically sailors, by striking "varchiata at sea", sea procession of the artistic statue, depicting the Madonna of Carmel with the Infant Jesus, kneeling, St. Simon Stock, including the joyful sound of the sirens of ships in port and the brilliance of multicolored lights and torches (which is the most touching part of the event), the antenna in the seas (which takes place in the glass of water in front of the west pier, and is the ability to grab a flag attached to the end of an auction soapy fixed horizontally on a stern trawler), the festival of the frying pan (which is a huge frying pan where they are placed in fish that are then distributed free to the public). The feast ends the night with the return to Mother Church.
The three day festival which normally falls on Friday, Saturday and Sunday after July 16, represent the major players, fishermen, three days of intense joy, after a year of hard work. The party even though he has lost much of the religion for which he was born remains a solemnity that attaches perfectly to the country.
