Sicily The feast of Saint Corrado in Noto

The celebration day of the feast of Saint Corrado in Noto is the 19th of February but it is repeated the last Sunday of August. The silver urn, containing the relics of the saint patron, accompanied by a concert of bells and fires, comes out from the Cathedral carried on the shoulders by the members of the Brotherhood of “Portatori di S. Corrado”.

The procession slowly starts, the urn is preceded and followed by the carriers of the “Cili” – big candles covered with colourful and decorated tin where scenes of the life of the saint patron are represented – and by the many devotees bringing lighted candles in their hands; some of them are barefoot and others have the hermit’s dress on: habit, cap, sandals and stick.
The procession goes through the city streets and gets inside some churches. When the urn stops inside one of them, the “Cili” carriers make a kind of dance near the portal.
At the end of the procession there is the “trasuta” (entrance) at the cathedral: the carriers of the silver urn together with the devotees climb up, in a strenuous run, the long staircase to replace the urn in its altar.
In the meantime outside there are fireworks enlightening the facade of the church, and also balloons flying away.

Source & Img

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