Christmas on Mount Etna begins with the celebrations dedicated to Saint Lucy. The Sicilian saint (originally from Syracuse) is highly revered in the volcano’s territory, not only for her historical proximity to Catania’s patron saint, Saint Agatha, but also because her symbols are precisely those of “light” and fire. Many towns around Etna celebrate Saint Lucy on December 13th, but undoubtedly the most moving spectacle takes place in Belpasso with the beautiful “Carri” (floats).
Belpasso and Saint Lucy
Until the 17th century, the area now known as Belpasso (Good Place) was a dark forest populated by bandits and killers. For everyone, this was the “Malpasso” (Bad Place) the pass of the bad guys, where anyone risked a robbery or even death. The village that arose near the forest consisted of a dozen hamlets of Nicolosi with only a few inhabitants. However, they managed to gain independence in 1636, and on that occasion they obtained as the patron saint of the new town Lucy, the saint who lights the way even in the darkness of an unsafe forest. The town’s name became Belpasso only a hundred years later, when—after earthquakes and eruptions—it was rebuilt once again in its current location: the new name was intended to bring good luck to a place that had previously been unhappy for too long.
The Feast of the Floats of Saint Lucy
The feast of Saint Lucy is extremely important for Belpasso. The celebration rituals begin on November 30th and continue until December 14th.
It all begins with “the tredicina” or thirteen preparatory masses for the feast, which are still held today at 5:00 a.m. (a time originally chosen to favor farmers before their work). On the eve of the feast, December 12th, the relics of the Syracusan saint are carried in procession on an elegant 18th-century silver chariot. Along with the silver chariot, giant floats are displayed. These are veritable theatrical sets, enormous in scale, that can be “assembled and disassembled” with targeted movements so to reveal – or hide – the figures and choir singers who dedicate their hymns to Saint Lucy. Every year, these floats reveal the architectural and pictorial mastery of local artisans, and witnessing their unveiling is a unique spectacle.
December 13th is the feast day. In the morning, the statue of the Saint is unveiled and carried around the town amid fireworks, prayers, and “propitiatory races.”
Saint Lucy’s symbolism in the Etna towns
Saint Lucy is the woman who brings light. It’s no coincidence that her feast day falls during the last short days of winter, as by the end of December the days will begin to lengthen again in anticipation of summer. For the rural villages of Etna, Santa Lucia is the promise of a good harvest, a fortunate and “bright” season, as well as the true beginning of the Christmas holidays. Until a few decades ago, in fact, holiday gifts for the Sicilian children arrived on December 13th with Saint Lucy, not on the evening of the 25th.
If you find yourself on Etna during the Saint Lucy period, choose to include these traditional celebrations in your tour. In addition to the one in Belpasso, we recommend the noisy and noisy, yet equally evocative, Santa Lucia in Aci Catena.
Main photo from: https://www.facebook.com/LaSiciliaUnMeravigliosoParadiso?locale=it_IT