Patronal Feast in Torrenova – Madonna Addolorata

In Torrenova in province of Messina held every year Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. A moment of great recollection for the religious community during which fun, traditions and a lot of devotion alternate.

The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows in Torrenova

La patronal feast in Torrenova in honor of the Our Lady of Sorrows held annually between 15 and the 16 September.
Usually the celebrations last from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 3 days during which there are Eucharistic celebrations but also moments of leisure for the population who can attend performances by artists of great resonance on the Sicilian and national territory. Everything is managed and organized according to the tradition that attracts many visitors who come from all over the Nebroid area.

On the day of 15 September, the one in which the commemoration of Maria Addolorata falls, there are above all Eucharistic celebrations with masses scheduled in the morning at the local Mother Church with the recitation of the Holy Rosary which is usually scheduled for the late afternoon around 18:30.
Immediately after the Holy Rosary we proceed with a very solemn celebration which includes the dressing of the simulacrum of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Immediately after there is the mass and the procession which involves a long journey between some of the main streets of the town to get to the Church of St. Peter. Subsequently, shows of various kinds are planned, including musical concerts.

Also on the day of September 16 there are many religious appointments with the morning masses. On the day of the 16th there is the custom around 10 am to have the civil authorities leave the town hall to reach the church of San Pietro and to carry out the symbolic delivery of the keys to the city to the Virgin Mary of Sorrows, as a sign and confirmation of the great devotion that regards the whole community and which has accompanied several centuries.

The patronal feast in Torrenova: the cult of Our Lady of Sorrows

The patronal feast in Torrenova is dedicated to Maria Addolorata or the mother of Jesus. A commemoration that concerns many other Italian centers and which falls precisely on 15 September. The date of establishment of this collaboration dates back to 1667 and refers to some moments in Mary's life which are reported in the Gospels.

From a religious point of view, the celebrations concern the so-called cult of the seven pains of Mary. The first moment reported by the Gospel according to Luke is the announcement and the prophecy that Mary will have to face the difficulties that will have to be overcome and which concern the birth of the child Jesus. The second situation relates to the flight into Egypt of all the holy family and therefore the loss of the Child Jesus at the age of 12 in the temple of Jerusalem. In this moment of great pain for Mary, there is the meeting of her son along the Via Crucis while Jesus was ascending towards Calvary carrying the cross. The other 3 moments of pain naturally complete the passion of Jesus Christ and concern the great pain experienced by the Madonna in seeing her son crucified who she will then welcome in her arms now dead. It all ends with the burial of Jesus who, according to religious tradition, will rise again after three days.

What to see in Torrenova during the patronal feast

Taking part in the patronal festival of Torrenova also means being able to appreciate some of the beauties of a rapidly growing area, as confirmed by the phenomenon of population growth, which has increased by about 10 people in just 600 years compared to 4.400 units.
Among the various locations of tourist interest are the Nova Tower which then gave its name to the town, Favara Tower which once served as a tuna trap and prison tower. The historian should also be remembered Monastery of San Pietro di Deca used in a very distant past also to optimize agricultural activity in the area.

How to get to Torrenova

For those arriving from Messina it is necessary to cover a distance of 95 km for which about 70 minutes of travel are necessary. It can be reached by following the A20 and the E90 in the direction of Rocca di Capri Leone. To go to Torrenova from Palermo you must first follow the E90 and then the A20 for a total of 135 km for a journey of about 110 minutes.