Feast of Sant'Antonio Abate in Cerami

In Cerami, a small Nebroid village in the Sicilian hinterland, a mix of devotion, folklore and popular religiosity characterizes the Festa di Sant'Antonio Abate, organized by the homonymous Confraternity and which takes place every year on the last Sunday in July.
The Feast, included since 2021 in the Italian Network for the Safeguarding and Enhancement of the Feasts of Sant'Antonio Abate, begins on the first day of the Novena with the Enthronement of the Simulacrum of the Saint and in the nine days preceding the feast, the Saint is honored with a series of religious and folkloristic initiatives, such as, for example, the pilgrimage to the “Timpone di Sant'Antonio” district and the traditional “'ntinna”, or maypole tree and the game of “pignati” or pots.
On the morning of the last Saturday of the month of July, the eve of the Festival, the traditional ride in honor of Sant'Antonio Abate takes place. The procession, led by the Palio of the Confraternity, moves from the church of S. Antonio and stops at the aforementioned "Timpone di Sant'Antonio" and from there sets off again towards the town. Once back in the village, the ride winds along the narrow streets of the Nebroid village and stops at the "San Leonardo" district, where bread and cheese are distributed to all those present, offered in honor of the Saint and blessed by the priest. The ride continues along the alleys of the historic center to reach the church of S. Antonio, where the riders pay homage to the saint at the end of the route. In the evening, the procession of the relics of St. Anthony takes place in the narrow streets of the historic centre. The procession which sees the participation of the four city Brotherhoods, with their own clothes and insignia, moves from the Mother Church to the church of Sant'Antonio, where it culminates with the singing of first Vespers. On the last Sunday of July Cerami enters the heart of the Festival by paying homage to the Saint with a solemn procession along the city streets. Of great scenographic effect is certainly "'A Nisciuta", that is the triumphal exit of the Saint placed on the artistic fercolo. This moment marks the beginning of the procession. Particular and with a strong visual impact are certainly the "lazzuna", or ropes decorated with multicolored tassels and bells, which hooked onto the top of the fercolo, carried on the shoulders by the devotees, are pulled along the way and in particular circumstances to restore balance to the fercolo and facilitate some maneuvers. Along the way of the procession there are several stops for the so-called "bippite", i.e. the traditional offers of biscuits and wine, made by some families to fulfill a vow by giving sustenance to the bearers of the fercolo. In the morning the external tour characterizes the first part of the procession which ends with the stop of the fercolo inside the Abbey of San Benedetto, from where at 20:00 the procession resumes along the internal tour, i.e. the main streets of the town , and having reached Corso Roma, the Saint is honored with an impressive fireworks display. "A cursa", i.e. the ascent while running, to walk the tiring Via Umberto characterizes the last part of the procession before the return of the Saint to his church. For more information, visit the Facebook page: Sant'Antonio-Cerami.

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