Feast of San Giorgio in Piana degli Albanesi

In April, the town of Piana degli Albanesi, in the province of Palermo, hosts the feast of San Giorgio, the patron saint of the village. It is an occasion in which the sacred and the profane mix, religious celebrations and food and wine events, so as to satisfy a very large public which is attracted by many different things.

For those interested in being part of this heartfelt event, here is all the information on the Festa San Giorgio in Piana degli Albanesi and how to get there.

Description of the feast of San Giorgio in Piana degli Albanesi

The feast of San Giorgio di Piana degli Albanesi is deeply felt by all the local population that since Quattrocento, when it was decided that the patron saint of the town should become San Giorgio, organizes a solemn procession on the 23rd of April which sees the equestrian statue of the saint carried around the streets of the town.

Over the centuries, then, the religious celebration has mixed with appointments of a much more folkloristic nature, until reaching the dimension that the event has today: an appointment in honor of the saint during which, however, Piana degli Albanesi has the opportunity to showcase all its excellences, not only food and wine and craftsmanship but also cultural and historical.

A celebration to be lived, therefore, to fully understand the strait link between San Giorgio and the inhabitants of Piana degli Albanesi.

The story linked to the feast of San Giorgio di Piana degli Albanesi

St. George Megalomartyr became the patron saint of Piana degli Albanesi in the early 1400s and at the time the town was still called Piana dei Greci. Since that moment, both the religious authorities and the faithful have wanted to celebrate the importance of this figure for the local population by organizing a solemn procession that would carry around the statue and the relics of the saint, in order to encourage the veneration of him.

Originally, the so-called gentlemen, i.e. the wealthiest people in the village who could finance the celebrations, took care of the organization of the celebrations, then over the years the management passed to a popular committee made up of people from various backgrounds.

Over time the feast has obviously taken on different characters, given that it was originally held only on April 23, the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the saint, then it expanded to become a four-day event straddling the feast of the saint and which also provides for an appointment on the previous Sunday, when the awaited appointment for the blessing of both horses and riders is held.

When does the feast of San Giorgio take place?

The feast of San Giorgio di Piana degli Albanesi is traditionally held in the days preceding April 23 since the day of the saint is the one in which the festivities reach their climax while on the other days all the collateral events are held.
In reality the celebrations begin the Sunday before, when there is the blessing of horses and riders, as already pointed out. Furthermore, during the four days of the main festival, religious appointments do not follow each other at a rapid pace to satisfy a very varied public who are interested in different aspects.

Where the event takes place

The feast of San Giorgio is held throughout the country as the procession carrying around the statue of the saint touches several points. The starting point is that of Church of St. George from which the statue of the patron saint starts, which then follows a tour that touches different points of the village.

A fundamental moment is that of the stop held in front of the Church of the Odigitria, in front of which the procession performs a particular dance. The procession then continues to end again at the church of the saint, where the statue is placed until the following year. Another important point of the party is Piazza Vittorio Emanuele where the food and wine stands are set up that will delight all the participants.

What to do during the feast of San Giorgio

Obviously the most important event of the celebrations in honor of San Giorgio is represented by the procession of the statue. The procession is carried on the shoulders of boys chosen from among the inhabitants of Piana degli Albanesi who are less than 26 years old since they must have a certain physical strength to make the canopy dance with the statue on horseback in what is known as the St George's dance.

The faithful accompany the procession with songs and religious invocations until, back in front of the church of San Giorgio, the parish priest imparts the blessing of the Holy Relics to all present. On the subject of folkloristic events, on the other hand, the processions and the tournament of medieval games involving horses and knights are worth mentioning. On the Sunday preceding the procession, they are blessed by the parish priest of Piana degli Albanesi.

How to get to Piana degli Albanesi

Getting to Piana degli Albanesi is not at all complex as the locality is well connected from all areas of Sicily. In particular from Palermo, which is just 24 km away, it is sufficient to take the SS 624 towards Sciacca, exiting at km 20 where there is a junction that leads to the town. Alternatively, continuing towards Altofonte, take the SP 5 which leads to Piana degli Albanesi: it is a slightly longer road but usually less busy.
Alternatively, it is possible to choose the bus that leaves from the central station of Palermo and takes you to the destination: the ATS bus station is located between the Viaduct Tozia and Via Matteotti in Piana degli Albanesi.