February is carnival time in Italy,
and this period is also celebrated with enthusiasm in many Sicilian towns.
One of the most spectacular events is The Carnival of Acireale,
blending poetry,
games and a procession of colorful floats through the town centre.
The famous Carnival of Sciacca,
is symbolized by a huge puppet and a
procession of floats through the town’s streets.
In the same mouth,
the people of Catania worship the memory of Sant’Agata,
whose relics,
including a veil that the faithful believe once shielded Catania from lava erupting
out of nearby Mount Etna,
are carried through the town.
In Agrigento,
the imminent arrival of spring is celebrated each February with the Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore.
As fragrant almond blossoms fill the air,
a procession makes its way to the lovely Valley of the temples.
Coinciding with this is the Folklore festival,
featuring dance,
traditional costumes and music.
Noto also welcomes spring,
but not until the third week in May,
with L’infiorata,
which sees the laying down of a carpet of flowers depicting religious
or mythological themes.
Easter is an important time for religious festival.
In Caltanissetta,
a week is given over to procession,
including the Good Friday carrying of a crucifix made of black wood,
which was found in a cave in 1625.
A week long festival held in Enna culminates on Easter Sunday,
when images of Christ and the Madonna are brought together in the Piazza Duomo.
Trapani’s Mystery procession is almost 400 years old.
Winding its way through the town,
it showcases 20 wooden and fabric sculptures embellished with silver,
and each of one is carried on the shoulders of at least ten men.
Caltagirone produces dazzling spectacle for the feast of its patron saint,
The festa di San Giacomo,
with 4,000 candles illuminating the 142 steps of the Scala di Santa Maria del Monte.