From 3 to 5 February Catania honors Agata. Three days of cult, devotion, folklore and traditions that are not found anywhere else in the world.
St Agatha’s day, the most important religious festival in the city. The dim and flickering light of thousands of votive candles, tall and heavy, brightens the faces of those who ask for the protection of his Santuzza, as the Catania people affectionately call her.
Then the most awaited day of the year, the most exciting … Agata greets her people. From the early hours of dawn, the streets begin to dye white, peopling with “citizens”. These are the devotees who wear the “sack”, a black velvet cap and white gloves. A simple sack of white canvas, tied at the waist by a cord, to remember the night of 1126 when the relics of the young martyr from Constantinople were returned to Catania. For two long days, thousands of faithful and curious parade through the streets, honoring the saint among the rhythmic hosannas to indicate that “Saint Agatha is alive” and is in the middle of the crowd. A repetition of gestures and celebrations, which every year becomes new and original, everything happened and everything happens again, but always in a unique and exciting way, renewing and rewriting the history of an entire community … A scenography, this holiday, on the slopes of the most active volcano in Europe, Mount Etna, which no director would be able to invent …
About Vito Finocchiaro
Vito Finocchiaro was born in Sicily in 1965. His passion for photography has always been present in his life. Free professional. Careful observer of problems. His passion for his work let him “live” and “tell” facts about people of this place of origin and from far parts of the world, as the ones of his trips in China, Cuba, Perù, India, Mexico. Because of his interest in social issues he has collaborated with some Onlus and for the project “Treno Bianco” of “Unitalsi Nazionale”. He has exposed his photographs in Italy and abroad and he also gained several Awards in many countries.
Vito has more than thirty years of experience as a naturalist and landscaper photographer, has produced many reports on the Volcano Etna, the most active volcano in Europe; His work also focuses on social and anthropological reportage; he documented the peripheries of the world living in indigenous villages. [Official Website]
He is currently working on a project on the Sacred Rites and on the prominent role played by religion in Sicily.
Main Exposures: “Photography Museum” of Lishui China,“Orvieto Fotografia” – Italy, “Paratissima” – Italy, “Gallerie Montmartre”, – France, “Mosca International Photo Awards” – Russia, “Los Angeles” – U.S.A, Publications on the well-known Chinese photographic magazine “Photo Word”, Interview in the photo journal “Gold series photographic progress”
Qualified: QEP (Qualified European Photographer) landscape, QEP (Qualified European Photographer) nude, QIP (Qualified Italian Photographer).
Awards: China (Silver, Bronze), Russia (Bronze), India (Bronze), Tokio International Foto Awards (2 Silver, 1 Bronze, 2 Honorable Mentions), PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERS CUP International Colour Awards U.S.A. (Onorable Mention), Australia (Silver, Bronze), I.P.A. International Photography Awards U.S.A. (24 Onorable Mentions), Px3 prix de la photographie Paris, FIIPA Italy (Gold, Silver, Bronze), Italy, winner of Contest “Dai Colore alla Vita”
