Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Randazzo

"In Vara di Randazzo", the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Randazzo, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, is celebrated in month of August: it is the most awaited religious festival by the local faithful and there are not a few tourists who choose to visit Randazzo right on the day of the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta.

The celebrations begin the day before the Feast proper, when the fercolo of the sleeping Madonna runs along Via Umberto I. The day after, the triumphal chariot with the Vara of the Madonna, of ancient origins, leads the great Procession of the faithful which starts from Minor Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta: the chariot is almost 20 meters high and is made up of several superimposed and moving planes, which represent the rotation of the heavens and the Marian Mysteries.

The stories staged on allegorical chariot, are told with the help of real living characters, young actors who impersonate the Apostles, Saints and Angels, but also the Madonna and the Trinity. At the base of the chariot is the Sepulcher of Christ, while above all floors, the Cross rises; Jesus is located next to Mary, facing the Archangel Michael, in the highest part of the chariot. Whoever attends this allegorical representation will keep the memory of it forever.

The story linked to the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Randazzo

The Vara della Madonna has very ancient origins, in fact the cart used in the procession during the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Randazzo was designed in the XNUMXth century, drawing inspiration from the Vara of Messina. The current wagon used for the Festa is instead of the nineteenth century, renovated several times.

During the Festival, the participants sing very ancient sacred hymns thus keeping alive, year after year, the traditional celebration of Santa Maria Assunta, co-patroness of Randazzo next to San Giuseppe.

This religious event, which celebrates the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, is today organized in collaboration with the City of Randazzo and the Region of Sicily, led together by priests and civil authorities.

When the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta takes place in Randazzo

The Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Randazzo takes place on 15 August, starting at 16:00, but already the previous evening, there is a first Procession of the faithful following the fercolo of the Madonna.

Where the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta takes place in Randazzo

The Feast of Santa Maria Assunta takes place in Randazzo, starting from the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta and continuing along Via Umberto I.

What to do during the Feast of Santa Maria Assunta in Randazzo

The Marian celebrations which take place according to the most ancient traditional rites, are always unforgettable events for all the tourists who attend them during a visit or a holiday: on these occasions, in fact, visitors are shown the whole spirit of the community, with ancient traditions such as that of the Vara, with joy and devotion on the part of the faithful.

If the Procession itself represents a real show, this can become an opportunity to discover the other attractions of the village, such as the Minor Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, the magnificent Gothic building from which the Procession starts, or the Church of San Nicolò, built in the XIII century.

In the centre, there are also other ancient sacred buildings, such as the Church of San Martino and Sanctuary of Maria Santissima del Carmelo, built in the fourteenth century; the Monastery of the Benedictine Order, on the other hand, destroyed by bombing during the Second World War, has been entirely rebuilt.

With a walk through the alleys, you will be able to admire wonderful views, such as those with a Gothic atmosphere found in Via degli Archi, while at the end of Via Umberto I, where the Procession of the Vara passes, there is Scala Palace, the residence of the Norman kings, where Frederick II and Charles V also stayed.

How to get to Randazzo

Randazzo can be reached with the train, from Giarre Riposto Station (26 km away) where you can take the bus or shuttle directly to the town; alternatively, those who arrive with their own auto, can take the exit for Fiumefreddo along the A18 Messina-Catania, about 23 km from the center.