Feast of Saint Nicholas (Principal Patron Saint)

Saint Nicholas, Patron Saint of Capizzi

Perched at an altitude of over 1,100 meters at the foot of Monte Pomiere, in the heart of the Nebrodi Park, the town of Capizzi (Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily) preserves one of the most deeply rooted traditions in the mountain region. Saint Nicholas of Bari, Bishop of Myra, is the principal patron saint of the local community, and the Mother Church that dominates the historic center is dedicated to him.

A feast celebrated twice a year

The devotion of the people of Capizzi to their saint is expressed through two distinct events. The first is celebrated on December 6th, the liturgical feast day of Saint Nicholas, featuring a solemn morning Mass and an afternoon procession that carries the saint's relic from the Mother Church to the Sanctuary, drawing numerous faithful. These celebrations then intertwine with those of the Immaculate Conception between December 7th and 8th.

The second event takes place in May, commemorating the translation of the saint's relics from Myra to Bari (traditionally observed on May 9th). On this occasion, the statue is carried in procession through the streets of the town, accompanied by a brass band and fireworks.

The relics and the sacred manna

The Mother Church of Capizzi houses precious relics of Saint Nicholas of Bari, Saint James the Apostle, and Saint Paul, as well as a fragment of the True Cross. According to tradition, they were brought to the village in 1426 by the Hospitaller knight Sancho de Heredia and kept in the chapel of the Immaculate Conception, enclosed in a shrine. Among the most venerated treasures is the sacred manna—the water said to exude from the saint's bones—which is collected every May 9th from the tomb in Bari and preserved in Capizzi in a small vial placed on the altar of the relics.

The statue by Quattrocchi

The ancient sacristy houses a fine wooden statue depicting Saint Nicholas on his throne, created in 1807 by the sculptor Filippo Quattrocchi of Gangi, one of the greatest Sicilian woodcarvers of his time. In recent years, the community has revived the patronal procession after a long interruption, a sign of the enduring bond between the village and its protector.

A village in the Nebrodi

Capizzi, identified as the ancient Capytium mentioned by Cicero, is an agricultural and pastoral village immersed in the landscapes of the Nebrodi Park. For its inhabitants, the Feast of Saint Nicholas represents a moment of strong collective identity and an opportunity to rediscover the historical, religious, and artistic roots of this corner of inland Sicily.