Feast of San Costantino in Capri Leone

St. Constantine is the patron saint of Capri Leonein province of Messina, the only locality in all of Sicily that has chosen him as protector. Precisely for this reason on the occasion of his date, which is that of the11 March, the village is transformed into the perfect location for a celebration that mixes both the sacred and the profane.

For those who are interested in taking part in such a singular event full of suggestion and faith, here is all the information necessary to participate in the party.

Description of the feast of San Costantino in Capri Leone

The feast of San Costantino is the event that is organized to celebrate the saint who is considered one of the patron saints of the village.

It is, as often happens in events of this type, an occasion that unites the sacred and the profane. The most important part of the day is the holy mass which is celebrated in honor of Constantine, at the end of which the statue representing him is carried procession through the streets of the town, accompanied by the faithful who celebrate her praises with music and hymns. The statue is carried on the shoulders of the young people of the village who compete for the place of honor every year. Subsequently, the concert of the village band is held, which performs songs of different genres. To accompany the anniversary, then, numerous stand that propose specialties e handicraft products.

The story linked to the feast of San Costantino in Capri Leone

Little is known of the history linked to the cult of San Costantino, except that Capri Leone is the only town in all of Sicily to have chosen him as its patron saint. The Saint has always been venerated as he is an example of great faith given that he lets himself be slaughtered by enemies in order not to abjure God. Obviously, over time the event has taken on different characters, combining the purely religious part with the more worldly one, which makes the occasion a unique moment to spend a special day in joy and company for the whole village.

When does the feast of San Costantino take place in Capri Leone?

The party is held on the day of 30 July, the day in which his figure is celebrated by the Catholic Church.

Where the feast of San Costantino takes place in Capri Leone

The main part of the feast of San Costantino in Capri Leone is represented by the sacred procession that carries the statue of the saint in triumph, therefore it is an event that involves the entire village.

What to do during the feast of San Costantino

Those who go to Capri Leone to take part in the feast of San Costantino will then be able to take advantage of the opportunity to discover this small but extremely pretty village more closely.

Obviously a guided tour can only start right from the church of San Costantino which, together with that of Santa Maria Annunziata, represent the two oldest in the village, probably built in the seventeenth century. Also very impressive Church of Sant'Antonio Abate which houses a small statue of the saint, of uncertain date.
As far as civil architecture is concerned, however, a place not to be missed is the Cupane Palace, a baronial residence which was built in the early XNUMXth century. There is, then, Lions Square which is so called due to the presence of a fountain with two lions, one of which was built in 1910 while the second dates back to the XNUMXth century.

How to get to Capri Leone

Those wishing to take part in the feast of San Costantino in Capri Leone can reach the village, by car, starting from Messina and traveling first along the A20 and then the E90, the same road that can be taken from Catania, Trapani and Palermo. From Enna, on the other hand, the road to take is the SS117, finally from Syracuse the E45.

Capri Leone does not have its own railway station so those who want to travel on the train he must do so by referring to the stations of Sant'Agata Militello or Capo d'Orlando and then from there continue with the bus lines made available by the AST company.