Our Lady of Custonaci
Erice attracted the attention of priests that preached the Christian religion. In order to replace the worship of the pagan goddess with a new christian worship they introduced a special veneration for Our Lady of the Assumption. Christians built their churches on the ruins of the old temples.
According to an old belief, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of a small church in a place diametrically opposed to the old shrine of Venus Erycina.
Pope Liberious, in the IV century, presented the inhabitants of Erice a beautiful image of the Holy Virgin Mary, so they could worship her. Despite that the pilgrimages to the old temple of Venus continued through the whole XV century.
Priests tried to detach the inhabitants of Erice and close towns from pagan practices. The church ministers granted special indulgences to all those who in August, the month dedicated to the pagan rites in honour of Venus Erycina, partecipated to the ceremonies in honour of Virgin Mary. These ceremonies last since 1580.
The story of the sacre painting
According to tradition, in 1400, a French galleon bound to Alexandria in Egypt was wrecked near San Vito. They were carrying a painting depicting the Virgin with the Holy Child. The ship escaped a storm, after invoking the Holy Mary, taking refuge in the Gulf of Cornino. The French donated the painting to the population in reward.
In short this cult replaced the ancient pagan cult for the goddess Venus.
They built a chapel in her honour at Custonaci. Very soon it became a shrine because of the exceptional thaumaturgic virtues shown by the holy image.
After that, the mid August feasts ended with a penitence procession to the nine crosses. At the present they are outside the southern wall of the cathedral. A big town fair attracted people from any part of the island as well.
So pilgrimages of believers would set off for the shrine in all periods of the year to pray and to ask for grace. Later the image was taken from Custonaci to the cathedral of Erice on the occasion of disasters to ask the Vergin for protection.
In 1630 Erice elected the Our Lady of Custonaci as the main Patroness.
Ceremonies in honour of the Virgin
A vailed recollection of the former Anagogic and Katagocic feasts remained in the solemn ceremonies which always accompanied the arrival of the painting of the Virgin from her shrine of Custonaci and her return to it.
Believers collected no more gifts for the pagan shrine but they collected pious alms to make the feast ever more solemn.
Celebrations for Our Lady starts in the middle August.
The most evocative events last 5 days and end on the last Wednesday of August.
On Saturday the Mayor lights the candle, recites the prayer for protection and symbolically gives the keys of the city to Our Lady.
On Sunday the representative of the municipalities of the whole Erice territory lights the votive lamp of the Peace which will remain lit all year round in front of the painting of the Our Lady of Custonaci.
In the evening there is a parade of richly decorated Sicilian carts and folkloristic groups in the historic centre. They use to share the “miliddi” (aniseed crostini) and wine.
The rievocation of the landing
The most evocative moment of the celebrations for the Patroness of the medieval village and of all the “Agroericino” territory is certainly on Monday.
It is the historical re-enactment of the landing of the sacred image of the Virgin with Child. This comes from the sea to “Cala Buguto” near the Bay of Cornino. A sailing ship, together with numerous boats, delivers the painting to the local sailors, which in turn lead them to the beach.
After the landing, accompanied by Sicilian folk songs from the local folk group and spectacular fireworks, the procession begins on the ground. Many faithful, some of them barefoot, follow the sacred image with torches lit.
Some men of the class of masons would carry the holy image, placed on a cart, on the shoulders. The image is transported to the Sanctuary of Custonaci. A musical band also follows the procession.
Along the way, an important step is the blessing at the well of Our Lady, near the sanctuary. According to tradition, the tired, exhausted oxen stopped there, while the water miraculously gushed to restore them.
The procession of the Characters
On Tuesday there is the ceremony of the First Vespers. Here took place in the past years the parade of historical-allegorical floats, the so-called “Characters”. They recall some episodes of the Bible and of the life of the Virgin Mary, or tell stories about Our Lady of Custonaci.
The procession of the characters used to be in the past an important event.
Actors would represent some episodes of the Old Testament. The characters wore very elaborate costumes. On their breasts were sewn real jewels which by a remarkable set of embroideries would represent an animal or an object as symbol.
The jewels were often rare masterpieces of ancient local goldsmithry.
holy image procession
The highlight of the festivities is, as usual, the last Wednesday of August. Erice wakes up with the ringing of the bells from the bell tower near the Real Duomo and firecrackers.
The image of Our Lady of Custonaci comes out in procession from the Cathedral. Then it is carried along the streets of the historical centre of Erice with the faithful behind. The procession tours the whole town, with stops in Loggia Square and Saint Martin Church. Then the painting of the Virgin returns to the Sanctuary.
The celebrations ends with fireworks.
Source and photo:
http://www.turismo.trapani.it/it/1304/sbarco-della-madonna-di-custonaci.html