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FRIDAY 'JOHN - The Lord of the City

The Good Friday in Caltanissetta you can watch the procession of the centuries-old who manages the Black Christ each year to engage in prayer throughout the city.

All 'dusk, the small crucifix is \u200b\u200bcarried in procession through the streets of Old Town on a precious canopy' s gold, carried by the collectors of wild herbs, the so-called Fugliamara, protagonists of the procession, and during the solemn procession poignant tune "Lamintanze.

the procession is certainly being felt by the inhabitants of the city, all day flock to the streets of the old town to say a prayer to "Lord of the city", so named because in ancient times, until 1625, he was the patron .

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Christ, called "Black" for the dark color of the wood 'which is made of ebony, is not an exceptional level of artistic presents the gross disproportion in the body, a sign that the' author who many centuries ago the 'built it, was not really a sculptor. The Lord of the city is kept above the altar in 'beautiful church, which, thanks to Father Angelico Lipani has now become, as well as a place of prayer, a benchmark for the poor and orphans under the care of nuns Franciscan.
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The procession of Lord of the City

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Silence 's perfume incense, prayer, devotion: the predominant elements that give life to the procession of the Black Christ

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to fall, and already the statue, adorned with precious flowers, comes with great difficulty from the small door of the church, and is presented to the town square opposite the church.

La Real Maestranza, meanwhile, has already been reconstructed and in silence and respect goes to reach the sanctuary from where the procession.

The crowd filled the small square just lit by feeble lights of candles in the windows, while the Captain, taking off his hat as a sign of devotion, laying down the face of the little statue, as if to ask the Holy Cross, to fulfill the many the prayers on this day will be dedicated.
Even then begin making the laudator hear their chants, and cries of "Viva Diu's mercy!" the Black Christ, surmounted by a crown of 'pure gold, is lifted and carried in solemn procession through the streets of the city from "Fugliamari, and other devotees who made the promise to the Lord to bring to shoulder the heavy canopy during the procession.

Some of the devotees come every year from Northern Italy or even from 'abroad where they work.

Opens the long procession la Real Maestranza, where all categories have darkened the flags and spears wrapped in dark bands, each craftsman wearing a tie and gloves blacks.

La Real Maestranza, with the clergy, the bishop and the chapter the Cathedral, "pave the way" to the statue, as if to announce to the people he passed. The long march announced by lugubrious sound of drums.

Laudante The cross is surrounded by singing the "Ladata" or "Lamit" very special, unique and beautiful folk songs, behind, however, there is the mayor with the city council and the band.

The crowd below is enormous, there are many people who do the "Journey" that follow the procession, from the outset, barefoot, to ask a favor to the crucifix or to thank him for a favor received. Who does not follow the procession gathers in prayer as he passed.

The crowded streets are surrounded by the scent of 'incense, silence, broken only by the piercing screams of ladanti, which alternate with the fine performances of the band. This procession

d 'art has little, but it is certainly' felt by the other nisseni that all afternoon the streets are crowded, to say a prayer to their Lord of the City.

From the balconies and windows, coated with precious devotion to blankets, to the passage of the crucifix is \u200b\u200bcast in large quantities of flower petals and feathers.

After covering large and small streets of the city, the statue returns to his sanctuary, where, after the prayer of the Bishop, the procession melts and the Black Christ is part of the church.

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Among'm ria and legend

The image that is carried in procession on Good Friday, called the "Lord of the City" or more commonly "Black Christ" is certainly the oldest in central Sicily and one of the oldest of the 'entire southern Italy. It was before 1625, the patron saint of the city which later became attributed to 'San Michele Arcangelo as a thank you for having saved the city from the plague.

Today the statue is "escorted" from the Real Maestranza, which in fact was used as a guard per le processioni dei Santi Protettori; un tempo scortava anche il 29 Settembre la processione di San Michele Arcangelo, una tradizione oggi scomparsa ma che alcuni vorrebbero ripristinare.
Questo è quello che è ufficialmente documentato, ma cercare le origini della processione è molto difficile: la collocazione del santuario nella parte più antica della città, in stile arabo, fa pensare ad una tradizione che ha alle sue spalle tanti e tanti secoli. Per ricavare informazioni su questa processione, dobbiamo dunque attenerci solo ed esclusivamente alle fonti orali. Tante leggende popolari, più o meno simili tra loro, narrano che la Statua del Cristo Nero fu trovata da due fogliamari (raccoglitori di erbe amare) dalle parti del monte Sabucina in a cave between two candles. Some scholars however, believe that it was an object of worship in the church of San Leonardo, for almost six centuries no longer exists. Whatever the real theory, the crucifix was moved later in the church of St. Nicholas, from then on was called "Lord's Church in the city." At that time

Caltanissetta had no patron saint and so the nisseni rely on the crucifix, which was officially proclaimed shortly after the patron saint of the city of Caltanissetta, and that is why it is still called "Lord of the city," the most important character of the city, which is master and guardian, but above all a friend who is ready to receive the prayers of every heart.

Until a few centuries ago, the statue of the Black Christ was carried in procession in times of plague, earthquakes, famines, as in fact occurred to the new patron saint, Saint Michael the Archangel.
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- Excerpt from "The Rites of Holy Week in Caltanissetta" by Francesco Miceli.
- Photo by Walter Lo Cascio.

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PHOTOS

by Walter Lo Cascio