Feast of Saint Sebastian the Martyr (January)

The January feast of the patron saint of Cerami

On January 20th, the date the Catholic liturgical calendar dedicates to Saint Sebastian the Martyr, the town of Cerami, in the province of Enna, celebrates its patron saint with a deeply rooted popular tradition. It is a more intimate and domestic celebration compared to the grand summer festivities of late August, but for the people of Cerami, it represents the first heartfelt devotional appointment of the year, experienced in the heart of the Sicilian winter in the Nebrodi mountains.

The day's program

The day begins in the morning with solemn mass at the Church of Saint Sebastian, a 17th-century building that houses the statue of the Saint and the gilded processional float on its high altar. The celebration sees the participation of the Confraternity of Saint Sebastian, which has always organized the festival, and is preceded by the recitation of the traditional “Coronella” in honor of the Martyr. On the eve of the feast, the Saint's relic is exposed for the devotion of the faithful.

The “calata du circu”

The most anticipated and characteristic moment arrives in the afternoon with the “calata du circu”, an ancient rite that accompanies the saints venerated during the winter period in Cerami. The circu is a cone-shaped structure made of wood and covered with laurel branches, richly decorated with oranges and cudduri, the typical ring-shaped breads. Once blessed and adorned, the circu is hung between two poles in the square in front of the church and then repeatedly lowered and raised, while the children attempt to detach the breads and fruits in a joyful and lively competition. Meanwhile, from the bell tower, handkerchiefs filled with candies are tossed down for the children.

A rite of charity and community

Behind the festive appearance, the tradition preserves a profound meaning: the distribution of bread and fruit evokes the ancient custom of charity toward the poor, in the spirit of Christian agape, uniting religious devotion and community sharing. The same rite of the circu is repeated in Cerami on two other winter occasions very dear to the town: Saint Anthony the Abbot on January 17th and Saint Blaise on February 3rd.

Saint Sebastian and Cerami

For centuries, Cerami has been linked to the figure of Saint Sebastian, the Roman soldier martyred with arrows under Diocletian and invoked in Sicily, especially since the 16th century, as a protector against the plague. The devotion to the Saint is also intertwined with the memory of the famous Battle of Cerami in 1063. Those who visit the village during the January festival discover an authentic corner of inland Sicily, where the intangible traditions of the province of Enna are preserved intact from generation to generation.