Feast of Our Lady of Grace in Montagnareale

La Feast of the Madonna delle Grazie in Montagnareale, a locality in province of Messina, became famous for the Procession of the Flagellants, or 24 devotees who walk barefoot, are dressed in white and, through chains, regularly beat their shoulders.

History of the Madonna delle Grazie Festival in Montagnareale

The first procession featuring the Madonna delle Grazie took place in 1706 and since then it has been so successful that it has become an eagerly awaited event throughout the year.

When the Madonna delle Grazie Festival takes place in Montagnareale

The Madonna delle Grazie Festival in Montagnareale takes place on day of August, Or the August 15th.

Where the Madonna delle Grazie Festival takes place in Montagnareale

This event takes place in Montagnareale, a municipality located in the province of Messina which has just under 1500 inhabitants.
Its inhabited center is also located towards the northern area of ​​the Nebrodi Mountains.

What to do during the Madonna delle Grazie Festival in Montagnareale

If you go to Montagnareale to attend the Madonna delle Grazie festival, you mustn't miss the famous one for anything in the world processional procession which involves both the transport of a marble sculpture weighing over a ton, or 24 cantari.
The imposing simulacrum of the Virgin Mary is carried by 24 devoted penitents who, with the intention of purifying the spirit and obtaining her forgiveness, they walk barefoot through the streets of the town and they self-flag their backs with chains characterized by small links.
Once the parade is over, they wait on the steps of the Church of Santa Caterina for the arrival of the priest and the crucifer, or the bearer of the cross.
When the latter have arrived, the devotees line up in two lines to be accompanied by the musical band Mother Church, where it is located statue of Our Lady of Grace.
Here, where the Eucharistic celebration has already begun, the penitents kneel down to the aforementioned to receive the body of Christ and ask for mercy.
Once refreshed, they conclude the procession through the main streets of the locality and occasionally making brief stops to pray.
We recommend visit the Mother Church, a building dating back to the seventeenth century, as it is capable of delighting the eyes of the viewer with numerous works of art, including the statues of San Giuseppe, Santa Rita, Sant'Antonio Abate and Sant'Antonio da Padova, San Biagio and the Addolorata .
Equally important are two altars in pure Sicilian Baroque style, one in inlaid marble plus a wooden statue of Ecce Homo.

How to get to Montagnareale to take part in the Feast of the Madonna delle Grazie

Montagnareale is about an hour awayauto from Messina and if you start from the latter you need to take the A20/E90 motorway.
Once you reach the desired destination, be careful to park your vehicle in an area outside the historic centre, in order to avoid any difficulty, just think of the closed roads to allow the smooth running of the Feast of the Madonna delle Grazie.
Being a rather isolated country, there is currently no public transport available.