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The festival of St. George
Modica is rich in traditions, folklore and religious festivals: San Giorgio is a local festival that, with its procession, attracts tourists from around the world.
The festival of St. George, which takes place the weekend after April 23, is characterised by the long procession of the statue representing the knight slaying the dragon. Carried by the so-called "Sangiorgiari", before crossing Modica Alta, then Modica Bassa, the statue is greeted by gusts of fliers and copious fireworks, in an atmosphere of celebration and euphoria.
The procession is one of the peculiarities of the celebration. The statue is in fact made to proceed at a fast pace, in some parts at running pace, to simulate the galloping horse.
The saint only returns in the late evening, after the conclusion of the fireworks, and the final part of the procession takes place directly inside of the church, where the statue is rushed to various areas of the sacred place. It is carried up and down the aisles several times, almost ideally to greet all the faithful gathered for mass.
This tradition recalls the Bourbon period, when all kinds of outdoor events were prohibited - because the procession could not take place outside, it took place inside the church. The feast of St. George has ancient origins. In fact, the feeling of devotion to the saint dates back to 1090, when a dream revealed the martyr inspired Count Roger to victory in the battle of Cerami against Muslims. The cult of the saint expanded more and more, eventually becoming the Patron of the City and the owner of the homonymous matrix.
During the seventeenth century the canons of the collegiate church of St. Peter advanced the claims about its own patronage due to the expansion of the lower part of Modica after the quake. After long periods of discord and conflict, in 1884 Leo XIII decreed, in order to put an end to the debate, that St. George was the main patron and St. Peter the patron of the fair. The festival of St George began to be celebrated by the twelfth century, and it has always been characterised by a particular pomp and strong devotion.
This tradition recalls the Bourbon period, when all kinds of outdoor events were prohibited - because the procession could not take place outside, it took place inside the church. The feast of St. George has ancient origins. In fact, the feeling of devotion to the saint dates back to 1090, when a dream revealed the martyr inspired Count Roger to victory in the battle of Cerami against Muslims. The cult of the saint expanded more and more, eventually becoming the Patron of the City and the owner of the homonymous matrix.
During the seventeenth century the canons of the collegiate church of St. Peter advanced the claims about its own patronage due to the expansion of the lower part of Modica after the quake. After long periods of discord and conflict, in 1884 Leo XIII decreed, in order to put an end to the debate, that St. George was the main patron and St. Peter the patron of the fair. The festival of St George began to be celebrated by the twelfth century, and it has always been characterised by a particular pomp and strong devotion.
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