Incursion of Turkish pirates in Calatabiano
The ruins of the Church of San Filippo di Calatabiano witnessed a sad story of a pirate raid.
In the Marzacchino district, in Calatabiano, there are the ruins of the Church of San Filippo. It is said that, between 1500 and 1600, the sacred building, on the day of the celebrations in honor of San Filippo Syriaco, was destroyed by an incursion of Turkish pirates, who, due to religious differences, massacred and killed the faithful present. , burning the fercolo and the statue of the Saint. It is said that the shed blood colored the waters of the nearby stream that was nicknamed the “Sannuni” stream red. This is the reason why today as a sign of respect, during the celebrations of San Filippo Siriaco, a bow is made in the direction of the Marzacchino district.
