Solemn celebrations of the patron San Mauro Abate on 15 January in Viagrande (CT), a spectacular and long-awaited exit of the Patron Saint with a great choreography of fireworks.

The feast of San Mauro Abate has always been the main festival of the town. San Mauro, a favorite pupil of San Benedetto, was chosen towards the end of the 18th century as the patron saint of Viagrande. The festivities begin with the translation of the Artistic Fercolo of the Patron Saint from the “Casa ‘a vara” to the Chiesa Madre, accompanied by the Committees and the band body. On the 14th day traditional “Fair of livestock, agricultural tools, plants, and flowers”.

On the 14th, the party of the party, the offer of the wax, the procession of the relic of the patron saint and a magnificent pyrotechnic competition. The most folkloristic moment of the party is the so-called “party entry” or young singers, performing the “ancient cantatas” of the two districts. The citizens, in fact, divide themselves for the evening for a healthy competition, in two factions, or parties : that of St. Catherine, including the part of the country bordered by Aci Bonaccorsi and Lavina, and that of Scalatelli, which includes the square and the homonymous district, even if today the membership of these two parties is more emotional and does not depend as much from the residence. The two parties are thus competing for those offering the best fireworks display. On January 15th, “Solemnity of St. Mauro”, unveiled of the Patron Saint and at 13 o’clock triumphant exit of the saint’s statue with a pyrotechnic show that has no equal, then the tour through the city streets accompanied by faithful devotees and bodies bands. At the arrival of the fercolo in Piazza San Mauro characteristic “Calata dell’Angelo”, a wooden angel is descended from a canopy, placed at a height higher than that of the fercolo, carrying flowers and banknotes, giving them to the Saint

The following Sunday, the eighth of the party for the “Closing day of the festivities”. In the afternoon Procession of the Patron Saint around Piazza S. Mauro. On returning to the traditional Church “Cantata” to the Patron Saint, performed by the parish chorale, followed by the reading of the new committees for the following year’s festival and the closing of the Patron Saint’s simulacrum in the Chapel.

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Foto ©Proloco Viagrande