Feast of the Madonna della Catena in Aci Catena

The Feast of the Madonna SS. della Catena takes place in August in Aci Catena, in the province of Catania.

On the occasion of the solemn celebration, the streets of the town become the enchanting scenery in which the procession with the statue of the Madonna is held. It is an event of intense emotional participation on the part of the numerous faithful who attend it with moving devotion.

The ritual that has the completed on August 15th, begins on the first of the month with the Cunsulate announcing the imminent festivity by means of a joyful and prolonged ringing of bells. The same happens on the morning of August, before sunrise, when the so-called Maria's Bell announces the beginning of the Feast of the Madonna SS. Of the Chain.

At 8 o'clock the same morning, the statue of the Madonna is moved to the main altar. In the afternoon, the sacred Simulacrum triumphantly leaves the church to carry out the procession and the most characteristic and picturesque rite, called in the local dialect Trasuta or chianu: the feral carrying the Statue rushes into the square greeted by a frenetic waving of handkerchiefs.

The festive waving is one of the most moving and engaging moments of the entire party. The emotion of the devotees is tangible and envelops the viewer in an atmosphere of ancient times and forgotten traditions.

The history linked to the Madonna SS. of the Catena in Aci Catena

The cult of the Madonna SS. della Catena in Aci Catena has very ancient origins that date back to the time when the King Martin I of Aragon he besieged the Castle of the place where his adversary Artale of Aragon had taken refuge, guilty of high treason against the crown.

The facts took place in 1400. King Martin I of Aragon was not well regarded by the population who suffered helpless atrocious oppression.

A few years earlier, in a small church in Palermo, a miraculous event had amazed the people: through the intercession of the Madonna, three condemned to death were freed from their chains and subsequently pardoned by the king.

The inhabitants of Aci Catena therefore addressed heartfelt pleas to the Madonna to be freed from the abuses of the king. There legend tells that their prayers were answered.

The miraculous events linked to the Madonna SS. Della Catena are also linked to the terrible earthquake that struck Sicily in January 1693. Aci Catena suffered very serious damage. The church in which the statue was kept collapsed. Only the altar, the icon depicting the Madonna and the statue were saved. Furthermore, compared to the inhabited centers of the surroundings, Aci Catena suffered a much lower number of victims.

The belief spread among the population that they had been miraculously saved by the Madonna who had protected the town with her miraculous mantle. After the earthquake, the fame of the Madonna SS. Della Catena spread throughout the island and many pilgrims go to honor her and implore her intercession even today.

In 1953 the whole city of Aci Catena was consecrated to the Madonna.

When does the Feast of the Madonna SS take place? of the Catena in Aci Catena

Traditionally the festival in honor of the Madonna SS. della Catena in Aci Catena takes place every year on August 15th. The religious celebrations begin, however, on the first of August and continue with the triduum of preparation on the 12th, 13th and 14th of the same.

A week after the 15th, the so-called Octave of the Celebrations is celebrated in the church.

Where the Madonna SS Festival takes place. della Catena in Aci Catena

The Feast of the Madonna SS. Della Catena takes place in Aci Catena, a municipality located in the eastern part of the Etna Park. Archaeological excavations have confirmed that the origins of Aci Catena, as a human settlement, date back to prehistoric times.

The historical events relating to Aci Catena are connected to those of all the Acis of the area and are linked to the mythological love between the nymph Galatea and the shepherd boy Acis.

Among the places of interest that fall within the territory of Aci Catena, the Hermitage of Sant'Anna deserves a mention, a suggestive religious building erected in the mid-1700s and from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Ionian Sea; the archaeological site of Santa Venera; the water mills, dating back to 1400.

What to do during the Madonna SS. of the Catena in Aci Catena

Participate in an evocative event such as the Festa Madonna SS. della Catena means diving into the fascinating atmospheres of the Sicilian tradition in which the sacred and the profane merge in a whirlwind of emotions, colors and flavours.

The religious festival becomes an opportunity to visit the stalls of the fair where artisans exhibit the most appreciated examples of the island's craftsmanship and where the scents of toasted almonds and other delicacies of the local culinary art tickle the taste buds of the visitors.

Going around the village, it is advisable to visit the Mother Church dedicated to St. Philip of Agira, the Church of Santa Lucia with a characteristic wooden roof, the candida Church of St. Joseph made of stone Syracuse and the Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova which houses a precious Crucifix.

How to get to the Madonna SS. Della Catena in Aci Catena

To get to Aci Catena by car, the possible exits from the A18 motorway (Messina Catania/Siracusa Rosolini) are: Acireale (just over a km from the center of Aci Catena); Giarre (11 kilometers); Catania Center (17 kilometers away).

By train, the reference station is Acireale, connected to Catania, from which you can reach Aci Catena by bus.

By plane, the airport to fly to is, of course, Catania's Fontanarossa.