Feast of San Nicolò Politi in Adrano

The Feast of San Nicolò Politi in Adrano is traditionally celebrated on August 3 and includes various functions and rituals of great faith and folklore.
San Nicolò Politi is the Patron Saint of Adrano, he was born in 1117 in the city of Adrano and at the age of only 17 he chose the life of a hermit in order to be able to contemplate God. Several legends are linked to his figure.
The celebrations in honor of the Patron Saint begin in the month of July with the traditional A trasota do months, i.e. the beginning of the month dedicated to the patron saint: in the night between 2 and 3 July the Descent of the singers takes place during which the musical band accompanied by a cheering crowd crosses the historic city center along the route that leads from the church of San Filippo to that of S. Nicolò.
Another moment deeply felt and attended by the faithful is the pilgrimage which traditionally takes place on 2 August from the Church of Santo alla Grotta to Spicuddu, the first hermitage of S. Nicolò Politi.
During the festivities, the religious itinerary dedicated to San Nicolò Politi, The paths of the spirit, takes place em>, which traces the places and traditions linked to the figure of the young Adranite saint. The first stop on this itinerary is the Church of S. Nicolò where, according to tradition, the first house of the saint was located. The second stop is the Mother Church where the relics of the saint, his skull and parchments are kept. In the Mother Church there are also two paintings by the Adranite painter Angelo La Naia depicting Nicolò as a child and Nicolò in agony. The third stop is Piazza S. Agostino where there is the statue dedicated to the Saint Adranita which was erected in 1750 at the behest of a local noble following his own healing obtained through the intercession of the Saint.
This itinerary ends on August 3 , day of the liturgical anniversary, with the traditional representation of the Flying of the Angel which represents God's call to the young Nicolò. This representation takes place at the end of the procession of the Simulacrum of the Saint in the main square of the city. During the ceremony, a child dressed as an Angel is suspended along a twelve-metre-high steel wire, tied to Palazzo Bianchi on one side and to the Mother Church on the other.
On the occasion of the celebrations for the Patron Saint, numerous musical, folklore and entertainment events are organised.