Feast of San Giuseppe Patron of Salaparuta

San Giuseppe Patron Saint of Salaparuta is celebrated every year 18 and 19 March, in the small municipality of the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani, in Sicily. The village, with ancient medieval origins, arose around the 1500th century AD but began to truly develop in XNUMX. Today in the village ancient traditions to be discovered, like that of the lunch of the three poor people, which show how the devotion of the local faithful has never waned.

The Patronal Festival is in fact one of the the most important events for the religious community of the area, which welcomes the faithful with a program full of moments not to be missed and offers tourists the opportunity to fully experience the climate of devotion of the community, but also the possibility of discovering history, traditions and new itineraries in the near Salaparuta, from churches to historic buildings, from natural beauty to excellent local cuisine.

In the month of March, the faithful show their devotion to Saint Joseph with great enthusiasm, participating in the Patronal Festival of Salaparuta, an event which even in the Third Millennium preserves its symbols of tradition: votive altars, vows, decorations and food offerings, especially lemons and oranges, typical fruits of the Sicilian land, are offered to San Giuseppe Patron Saint of Salaparuta together with breads and sweets filled with figs, prepared by the women of the town and finely decorated by hand.

The feast of San Giuseppe, Patron Saint of Salaparuta: two days of celebration

The Festival opens on March 18th with rite of the gift of bread to those who visit the altar of San Giuseppe: it is tradition not to thank for this gift, as it is the host's obligation towards the guests; the following day, in memory of the three poor people alluding to the Holy Family, a sumptuous lunch is held in honor of three people chosen from among the faithful. Before lunch, at the Parish of Salaparuta, the Bishop celebrates a Mass in honor of the Patron Saint. In the evening the faithful cross the town procession and carry the statue of the Patron.

The Feast of St. Joseph is particularly felt by the community, so it will not be difficult to find other celebratory events in the town during these two days.

The feast of San Giuseppe, Patron Saint of Salaparuta: the history

Saint Joseph has been the patron saint of Salaparuta since 1977 and since then the community has celebrated him by remembering him with a large Two-day patronal celebration . The Holy Mystery of the Incarnation is revealed to the Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint of Providence and he becomes the first to adore the Child Jesus; protecting his family from the fury of Herod and his son Archelaus, he fled to Egypt, thus managing with the help of the Lord to save Jesus, dying in Nazareth and becoming the Holy Protector of fathers and the dying, as well as Patron of the Universal Church. There are many faithful who turn to him to ask for advice and protection; the Patronal Feast of Salaparuta is the way in which the faithful thank the Saint for his intercession.

The San Giuseppe Association, sponsored by the Municipality of Salaparuta, organizes many religious events every year in honor of the Patron Saint, starting from the beginning of March with the Triduum of Preparation, Holy Masses and visits to the altars, but also entertainment events , such as the parade of the town band on the day of the Festival or the fireworks in honor of Saint Joseph, at night, at the end of the Procession.

The feast of San Giuseppe, Patron Saint of Salaparuta: what to do

Tourists who reach the village during the period of the Feast of San Giuseppe, Patron Saint of Salaparuta, are welcomed with joy and festive spirit by the local community, in fact those who wish can take part in the Procession together with the faithful, gather with them in prayer and religion, visit the Churches and the most fascinating places in the country. Naturally, anyone who wishes can go to Mass.

In the spring period, Salaparuta can also offer its visitors a decidedly favorable climate for a holiday: the days begin to get longer, the temperatures rise and it is the perfect time to discover the Porto Palo beach , about 37 km from the town or the other beautiful beaches along the coast, including the area of ​​the Foce del Belice Nature Reserve.

Along the way, you will come across Menfi, a delightful small town where you can stop if you want to admire the beautiful Church of Purgatory, built at the end of the eighteenth century in Baroque style, the Church of San Giuseppe or the Church of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso, a nineteenth-century building demolished and rebuilt in a modern style, with very particular shapes.

Finally, those who don't want to travel too far from Salaparuta will find some interesting attractions in the centre, such as the Mother Church of Santa Caterina Vergine, where in addition to attending mass you can admire an example of modern religious architecture.

When you arrive in Salaparuta, on the occasion of the patronal feast, you can taste the typical desserts of the festival, such as those with sweet pastry filled with chopped figs which are offered at the lunch on March 19th, but there are also many other delicacies to try: gastronomic tours specials can be booked directly in the village, but everywhere you will find delicacies such as fried olives, panelle and crocchè, stuffed chicken and as dessert ricotta cream puffs, Sicilian cassata and almond paste.

The feast of San Giuseppe, Patron Saint of Salaparuta: how to get there

Salaparuta, in the province of Trapani, can be reached by train, getting off at Castelvetrano station, which is 20 km from the town; those who prefer to arrive by car can take the A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo, turning at the exit for Gallitello, the closest to Salaparuta, just 12 km from the centre.

Once you reach the village, don't miss the opportunity to discover all the beauties of Salaparuta, also exploring the surroundings; the spring season also offers you the opportunity to lie in the sun on some of the most beautiful beaches in Sicily, to relax after the celebrations of San Giuseppe: prepare yourself for a holiday full of surprises, for the body and the spirit!