Feast of San Giovanni Battista in Monterosso Almo
The Feast of San Giovanni Battista in Monterosso Almo takes place in the month of June and in September.
In the month of June the anniversary of the birth of the Saint is celebrated, the June 24th. A busy liturgical program takes place on the occasion of the feast. A very evocative moment of the celebrations takes place on the evening of the eve of the feast when the Night of Saint John takes place, a shared moment of prayer. The celebrations conclude with the procession of the Holy Relic.
The great feast in honor of Saint John the Baptist in Monterosso Almo traditionally takes place on the first Sunday of September strong>.
It is one of the most awaited events by the inhabitants of the village and by all the emigrants who, on the occasion of the festival, return to their country of origin. For this reason, the feast of San Giovanni Battista in Monterosso Almo is always preceded by a few days of shows that culminate with the feast of the emigrant and the Golden Eagle Award, in which emigrants who have distinguished themselves in Italy and the rest of the world with their commitment and their industriousness.
The feast of San Giovanni Battista has very ancient origins, it is believed to date back to the 12th century. The most evocative and exciting moment of the festival is the traditional "nisciuta", or "exit", at 11.00, preceded by the blasts of 8 Egyptian trumpets. The release of the Simulacrum of St. John the Baptist, carried on the shoulders of the faithful, is accompanied by cries of emotion and applause, the outbreak of fireworks and the launch of the 'nzaiarieddi, ie strips of colored paper. Of particular artistic value is the eighteenth-century fercolo del Santo: hand-sculpted and completely covered with pure gold leaf; of more ancient origin is the statue. Next to the simulacrum of the Saint parades the banner of the brotherhood dedicated to the Saint and founded in August 1257, finely embroidered in gold and handmade.
On the occasion of the celebrations, two processions take place: the morning one is characterized by the presence of numerous faithful with bare feet and with wax in hand that precede the statue of the patron saint, pilgrims mostly came from neighboring villages during the night between Saturday and Sunday dawn; the evening one is particularly suggestive for the presence of artistic lights that illuminate the streets of the town.
In the afternoon of the party the traditional "dinner" takes place, that is the auction sale of typical products prepared by the locals and offered to the Holy. Particularly characteristic are the traditional loaves of bread that depict the face of the Patron Saint.
The celebrations end with a Pyro-Musical show.
Dates and Scheduling
1 Sept 2024
05:00 Pilgrimage of faith in the City of Giarratana, which fulfills its annual vow to the Baptist.
05:45 The festive ringing of the bells of all the churches and the firing of 21 cannon shots announce the day of celebration.
06:00 Solemn Eucharistic Celebration for pilgrims.
08:00 Holy Mass.
09:00 Tour of the Monterosso city band through the streets of the town.
10:00 Solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by our Bishop H. E. Mons. Giuseppe La Placa.
11:00 Traditional “NISCIUTA” of the Simulacrum of the Patron Saint between blasts of trumpets and the explosion of fireworks.
16:30 Parade of the ArSonorum band.
17:00 Traditional dinner
19:30 Solemn Eucharistic Celebration.
20:30 Seconda Uscita del Simulacro del Santo Patrono e in p.zza San Giovanni Grandioso Spettacolo PIROTECNICO.
Piazza San Giovanni
21:00 Performance of symphonic marches by the “V. Bellini” directed by Maestro Umberto Terranova.
Piazza San Giovanni
22:30 Traditional return of the Procession with the Simulacrum of the Patron Saint carried on the shoulders of the faithful
23:30 Riflessione dettata dal Parroco don Giuseppe Antoci e a seguire Spettacolare Trattenimento PIROMUSICALE
Piazza San Giovanni
24:00 Return of the Procession and reposition of the Simulacrum of the Patron Saint on the High Altar.
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References
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