#saintagatha

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Idag är det S:ta Agathas dag, ett intressant helgon (googla gärna!) som dog en fruktansvärd död, med bl.a. brösten avskurna 😱😬 Så idag är det även Titty Cupcake Day! 🧁😋 Som vanligt har jag inte tålamod att göra vackra bakverk, då jag ser allt för mycket fram emot att sätta tänderna i dem. Och de var jättegoda! 😜 #tittycupcakeday #saintagatha https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6SxmPjkSq/?igshid=h1h43730g0q3

Even though this year's feast for Sant'Agata will not be on the streets because of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is in the hearts of devotees in Catania. If you close your eyes, in your mind's eye you can hear the thousands in their call and response: “Semu tutti devoti tutti? Cittadini, Cittadini!” “Certo! Certo!” (“Are we all devoted, all of us? Citizens! Citizens!” “Of course! Of course!” Viva Sant'Agata! #experiencesicily #sicily #santagata #saintagatha #agata #agatha #catania #festa #feastofsaintagatha #sicilia #siciliabedda #italy #italia #sicilyvacation #sicilians_world #ig_sicily #igerssicilia #instasicilia #gf_italy #siculamenteDoc #sicily_tricolors #ig_visitsicily #Sicilia_PhotoGroup #smallgrouptours #traveltogether #authenticsicily #smallgrouptoursitaly #whatsicilyis #viverlasicilia #sicilytour (at Catania, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK5WhXFFslO/?igshid=1berq822xp483

Viva Sant'Agata! Word spread throughout Sicily about the brutality that Agatha endured and how she stood strong in her Christian faith through it all (as recounted in yesterdays’ post). Over time, her cult grew. That brings us to contemporary Catanian's devotion to the virgin martyr that reaches a fever pitch during the annual feast from February 3 to 5. This year, because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the feast is being observed online and through previously recorded films. But no doubt, the veneration of one of Sicily's most important dieties must not be underestimated. (NB a W is used as an abbreviation for Viva, as shown on this luminaria/light display.) #experiencesicily #sicily #santagata #saintagatha #agata #agatha #catania #festadisantagata #festa #luminaria #catania #sicilia #siciliabedda #italy #italia #sicilyvacation #sicilians_world #ig_sicily #igerssicilia #instasicilia #siculamenteDoc #sicily_tricolors #ig_visitsicily #Sicilia_PhotoGroup #smallgrouptours #traveltogether #authenticsicily #whatsicilyis #viverlasicilia #sicilytour (at Catania, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK34aP8FEUF/?igshid=62rpxr8s4cri

The three day mid-winter Feast of Sant’Agata is upon us! Agata was a virgin martyr who died in 251 CE. Legend is that she was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy family from Catania. A faithful Christian, Agatha swore herself to Jesus. Important to know, during her lifetime, Christianity was illegal under Roman rule. So, when she refused the strategic advances of Quintianus, a Roman prefect, he arrested her on account of her Christian faith and condemned her to a brothel as punishment. Well, Agatha was a strong-willed young woman, and there was no way she was going to break her vow of chastity and participate in the activities of the madam and her colleagues. Finding her impossible to manage, Quintianus collected her from the brothel and threw her in prison. That did little to shake Agatha’s faith in Jesus Christ, to whom she proudly prayed. The irate prefect ordered his men to torture her, the gravest of acts against her was cutting off her breasts, a terror which she survived by continuing to call upon Christ for guidance and strength. Legend says that St. Peter visited her in a vision, offering her comfort and healing her wounds. After some days, Quintianus then ordered Agatha to be stripped and rolled over hot coals and then burned at the stake; however, an earthquake interrupted the ceremony, and she was spared from that grim fate. Still her new wounds were many, and once she returned to prison, she prayed to God to be taken peacefully. She died soon after. (This 1635 painting by Pietro Novelli of the story of Sant'Agata exists in Ragusa Ibla in the church of Sant'Agata ai Cappuccini.) #experiencesicily #sicily #santagata #saintagatha #agata #agatha #catania #festadisantagata #martyr #martire #ragusa #ragusaIbla #sicilia #siciliabedda #italy #italia #sicilyvacation #sicilians_world #ig_sicily #igerssicilia #instasicilia #siculamenteDoc #sicily_tricolors #ig_visitsicily #Sicilia_PhotoGroup #smallgrouptours #authenticsicily #whatsicilyis #viverlasicilia #sicilytour (at Ragusa Ibla) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK0PPA9FikX/?igshid=1ebg90cc6e5ly

Patron Saint for Nurses.😘 #saint #saintoftheday #saintagatha #patronsaint #saintfornurses (at Aibeelicious) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8K2yphniPLLKYVX11fNiRQLj6l6lPrjZc_ELs0/?igshid=ofawz6sb1lw8

Replicas of the bust of Sant'Agata appear all over Catania. The actual bust is made of precious metals and is encrusted with jewels, making it extremely heavy. During these days of the feast, February 3 to 5, Catania’s faithful engage in back-breaking activities to illustrate their devotion and honor their patroness, Sant’Agata. Through rituals, they emulate her suffering over three days of torture. Meanwhile, the “cittadini” also help each other and are kind and communicative with each other to get through the work. For example, to pull the extremely heavy fercolo through the city streets, on which the real bust that this one emulates sits, takes teams of people working together as a community. Viva Sant'Agata! #santagata #saintagatha #agata #agatha #catania #festadisantagata #festa #feastofsaintagatha #martyr #martire #experiencesicily #sicily #sicilia #siciliabedda #italy #italia #sicilyvacation #sicilians_world #ig_sicily #igerssicilia #instasicilia #gf_italy #siculamenteDoc #sicily_tricolors #ig_visitsicily #Sicilia_PhotoGroup #smallgrouptours #traveltogether #authenticsicily #smallgrouptoursitaly (at Prestipino Café) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8J9b_FFqwo/?igshid=1homsxie1gzgq