Solemnity of the Annunciation – Pontifical Mass in honor of Maria SS. Annunziata

A Marian devotion spanning centuries

In Merì, a village of Norman origin nestled on the slopes of the Peloritani Mountains and surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and citrus orchards, the cult of Maria SS. Annunziata is the heart of the community's identity. The Virgin Annunziata is venerated as the town's main patroness and is honored twice a year: on March 25th, for the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, and on the first Sunday of July, during the grand summer patronal feast. The March celebration, more intimate and intensely liturgical, takes place in the evocative Mother Church of Maria SS. Annunziata, a Latin-cross building with a central nave topped by an octagonal dome, which houses a precious 1603 painting of the Annunciation attributed to the Messinese artist Antonio Catalano.

The solemn Pontifical Mass on March 25th

The most anticipated moment is the solemn Pontifical Mass presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela. The day begins with the welcoming of the prelate at the Annunziata chapel, accompanied by the notes of the "P. Mandanici" Musical Band, followed by the Eucharistic celebration in the Mother Church. During the rite, gestures of great symbolic value for the Meriese community are renewed.

• The coronation of the statue of the Virgin Mary Annunziata;
• The floral tribute by the children and youth of the catechism;
• The Act of Entrustment of the community to the protection of the Madonna;
• The presentation of the City Key, a sign of the town's dedication to its patroness;
• The offering of the candle to the Patroness.

Faith, identity, and tradition in Merì

The symbolic presentation of the City Key to the Madonna, repeated in both March and July, encapsulates the profound meaning of this devotion: the entrustment of the entire community to celestial protection. The Solemnity of the Annunciation is not just a religious appointment, but a moment when Merì reconnects with its roots and its bond with the Mother Church, consecrated in the 1960s and since then the spiritual heart of the village.

Merì, between the Peloritani and the Tyrrhenian coast

Located in the province of Messina, in the Sicily Region, Merì is a small town with ancient origins, whose name derives from the Latin Mirii ("wonderful, extraordinary"). Visiting the town during the Annunziata festival means discovering an authentic corner of eastern Sicily, where religious tradition intertwines with the daily life of a community still deeply attached to its rites.