Traditions and tourism in the Sicans
Madonna degli Infermi,
in Raffadali is feast
for a whole week
An ancient tradition
that attracts visitors
even from neighboring countries
and that, between the sacred and the profane,
unites the whole village
From the second to the third Sunday of July, in Raffadali, in the hinterland of Agrigento, it is a big celebration for Our Lady of the Sick. To take part, they come from all the neighboring towns and, in some cases, even from abroad.
An ancient tradition that has its roots in the seventeenth century: “The plague,” says Santino Farruggia, president of the town council, “also arrived here, and to give us the grace, to save us, it was the Madonna herself. To this day, the festivities dedicated to her are very much followed by the whole community of Raffadali and beyond, regardless or not of the faith and creed one practices. In short, in these parts, Mary is definitely inclusive; she moves crowds and unites the whole country. On the other hand, we are in a village where the archpriest and the evangelical pastor went to school together and where, in general, there is a cooperative approach among the inhabitants.”
Between masses, barefoot pilgrimages, processions and performances, the celebrations last an entire week. In particular, being carried in procession is the precious statue made in 1585 by sculptor Nicola Buttafuoco.
“Taking care of the beautiful cloak that covers the statue of Our Lady of the Infirm,” says Farruggia, “are the lady seamstresses of Raffadali, who make themselves available so that it is always perfect.
The highlight of the festivities is the procession on the third Sunday in July, which starts from the Mother Church led by archpriest Don Stefano Casà. After the solemn mass, the faithful follow the statue of Mary in her beautiful blue mantle in large numbers in procession through the streets of the town until 2 a.m., when in a triumph of fireworks and with a large crowd still in the square, the celebration ends.
Before the grand finale, another very significant moment of the celebrations dedicated to Our Lady of the Infirm of Raffadali is the pilgrimage of the Aragonese.
“So heartfelt,” says Farruggia, “that, every year, the dawn of the Saturday before the third Sunday in July, the last day of the celebrations, is dedicated to the arrival of pilgrims from nearby Aragon.
During the week between the second and third Sundays of July, Raffadali also hosts a fair, and for visitors it may also be an opportunity to taste a dessert considered characteristic of the holiday, the pezzetto: an ice cream in the shape of a prism of a triangle, still a must for lovers of the tradition.
Text by Editors
