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.… (avenue Etnea, on the evening of february 5, before the arrival of the float of St. Agatha, devotees carry a candlemas) ....
…. (via Etnea, la sera del 5 febbraio, prima dell'arrivo della vara di Sant'Agata, devoti portano una candelora) ....
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Fear of the unknown, the fear of losing own physical or mental health, or worse, having already lost it, possible problems with work (if a work has it), old age advancing, awareness of the existence of a Higher Being, are just some of the reasons that push people to search for a contact with the Divine, with the supernatural, leading them to plead for help, but this is not enough to completely explain the close link fact of absolute devotion and enormous affection that the people of Catania (province) have towards their young martyr Agatha; an entire city partecipate in these days to ceremony and procession, one can not help but ask this question, what binds in such a profound and peculiar citizens to their Patron Saint Agata? Maybe I was lucky enough to capture photographically what is a partial response: a child at a very early age is brought to the window from her mother while passing the float of St. Agatha, so it's easy to understand... the devotion and attachment to the Martyr starts very young , transmitted by their parents as a treasure to be preserved and grow throughout their lives, which leads you in the days of the feast to a great collective.
This is a short-long report I did this year 2016, in the city of Catania (Sicily) in occasion of the feast of her patron saint Agatha, which took place on the 3, 4 and 5 February (this dates commemorates the martyrdom of the young Saint), and on 17 August too (this date celebrates the return to Catania of her remains, after these had been transferred to Constantinople by the Byzantine general Maniaces as war booty, and there remained for 86 years), when the Sicilian city is dressed up to feast, with a scent of orange blossom and mandarins, and its citizens show that they possess an extraordinary love and bond with the young martyr saint Agatha.
The religious sicilian feast of Saint Agatha is the most important feast of Catania, its inhabitants from five centuries, during the three days of the feast in honor of her "Santuzza" (young Saint), create a unique setting, with celebrations and rituals impressive, which means that this event is regarded as the third religious festival in the world (some say the second ...) after the "Semana Santa" in Seville and the "Corpus Christi" in Cuzco, Peru. Unlike other religious holidays, more sober, to Sant'Agata highlights a vocation exuberant typical of the south Italy, who loves to combine the sacred with the profane.
The cult of the young Santa dates back to the third century, when the teenager Agatha was martyred for refusing the roman proconsul Quintiziano. One year after the death of the young Agatha, on 5 February of the year 252, his virginal veil was carried in procession, and it is said it was able to save Catania from destruction due to a devastating eruption of Mount Etna.
The festivities begin with the procession of Candlemas (this year were in greater number, perhaps 14 instead of the 11 years of the other years); the "Candlemas" are giant Baroque wooden "candlesticks" paintings in gold, each representing an ancient guild (butchers, fishmongers, grocers, greengrocers, etc.), which are brought by eight devotees; the "cannalore" (candlemas) anticipate the arrival of the "float" of Saint Agatha during the procession. Devotees, men and women, wearing a traditional garment similar to a white bag, cinched at the waist by a black rope, gloves and a white handkerchief, and a black velvet cap, and it seems that such clothing evoke nightgown with the qule the Catanese, awakened with a start by the touch of the bells of the Cathedral, welcomed the naval port, in 1126, the relics of the Holy which fell from Constantinople. On float, consisting of a silver chariot sixteenth of thirty tons, which is driven by a double and long line of devotees with the robust and long ropes, takes place the bust of Saint Agatha, completely covered with precious stones and jewels. On February 4, the parade celebrates the so-called "external path" that touches some places of martyrdom in the city of Catania; the next day, the 5 instead the procession along the "aristocrat path", which runs along the main street, Via Etnea, the parlor of Catania. On this day the devotees carry on their shoulders the long candles of varying thickness, there are some not very big, others are fairly heavy, but some skim exceptional weights.
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La paura dell’ignoto, il timore di perdere la salute fisica o psichica, o peggio, averla già persa, possibili problemi col lavoro (per chi un lavora l’ha) o peggio non averlo dovendo così “inventarsi” la giornata, la vecchiaia che avanza, la consapevolezza dell’esistenza di un Essere Superiore, sono solo alcuni dei motivi che spingono gli uomini a cercare un contatto col Divino, col Sovrannaturale, portandoli ad invocare il Suo aiuto, ma tutto ciò non basta assolutamente a spiegare lo stretto legame fatto di assoluta devozione ed enorme attaccamento che gli abitanti di Catania (e provincia) hanno nei confronti della loro “Santuzza” la giovanissima martire Agata; nel vedere partecipare quella che sembra essere una città intera a questi giorni di rito e processione, non ci si può non porre questa domanda, cosa lega in maniera così profonda e peculiare i cittadini Catanesi alla loro Santa Patrona Agata? Forse ho avuto la fortuna di cogliere fotograficamente quella che è una risposta parziale e certamente non unica alla domanda: un bimbo in tenerissima età viene portato alla finestra dalla sua mamma mentre passa la vara di S.Agata, ecco… la devozione e l’attaccamento alla giovanissima Martire inizia da piccolissimi, trasmessa dai propri genitori (e non solo…) come un tesoro da custodire e coltivare per tutta la vita, che porta che nei giorni della festa ad un fantastico rito collettivo al quale nessun Catanese sembra non possa o non voglia rinunciare.
Questa è un breve e lungo report, da me realizzato nel febbraio di quest’anno 2016, nella città di Catania (Sicilia) in occasione della festa della sua giovane santa patrona Agata, che ha avuto luogo come ogni anno il 3, il 4 ed il 5 di febbraio (questa data commemora il martirio della Santa giovinetta), festa che viene ripetuta anche il 17 agosto (questa data rievoca il ritorno a Catania delle sue spoglie, dopo che queste erano state trasferite a Costantinopoli da parte del generale bizantino Maniace come bottino di guerra, spoglie che ivi rimasero per 86 anni); per questa occasione la città siciliana è vestita a festa con profumi di fiori d'arancio e mandarini, coi suoi cittadini che mostrano di possedere uno straordinario amore e legame con la giovane martire Agata.
Gli abitanti di Catania, oramai da cinque secoli, nei tre giorni della festa in onore della "Santuzza", danno vita ad una scenografia unica, con celebrazioni e riti imponenti, che fanno si che questo evento sia considerato come la terza festa religiosa al mondo (qualcuno dice la seconda ...) dopo la "Semana Santa" di Siviglia ed il "Corpus Domini" a Cuzco, in Perù. A differenza di altre feste religiose, più sobrie, quella di Sant'Agata mette in luce una vocazione esuberante tipica del meridione, che ama unire il sacro col profano.
Il culto della giovane Santa risale al terzo secolo, quando l'adolescente Agata fu martirizzata per aver rifiutato il proconsole romano Quintiziano. Un anno dopo la morte della giovane Agata, avvenuta il 5 febbraio dell'anno 252, il suo velo virginale venne portato in processione, e si narra esso riuscì a salvare Catania dalla sua distruzione a causa di una devastante eruzione del vulcano Etna.
I festeggiamenti iniziano con il corteo delle "candelore", queste sono dei giganteschi e pesanti "candelabri" in legno, in stile barocco, dipinti in oro, ognuna rappresentante una antica corporazione (macellai, pescivendoli, pizzicagnoli, fruttivendoli, ecc.), che vengono portati da otto devoti, le quali "cannalore" durante la processione anticipano l'arrivo della "vara" di Sant'Agata. I devoti, sia donne che uomini, indossano un tipico indumento simile ad un sacco bianco, stretto in vita da una cordicella nera, guanti ed un fazzoletto bianchi, ed infine una papalina di velluto nero, sembra che tale abbigliamento rievochi la camicia da notte con la quale i Catanesi, svegliatisi di soprassalto dal tocco improvviso delle campane del Duomo, accolsero al porto navale, nel 1126, le reliquie della Santa che rientravano da Costantinopoli. Sulla vara, costituita da un carro argentato cinquecentesco di trenta quintali, trainata da una doppia e lunghissima fila di devoti tramite delle robuste e lunghe funi, prende posto il busto di Sant'Agata, completamente ricoperto di pietre preziose e gioielli. Il 4 febbraio, il corteo compie il cosiddetto "giro esterno" che tocca alcuni luoghi del martirio nella città catanese; il giorno dopo, il 5, il corteo percorre il "giro aristocratico", che percorre la strada principale, la via Etnea, salotto buono di Catania. In questo giorno i devoti portano in spalla dei lunghi ceri di vario spessore, ce ne sono alcuni non molto grossi, altri sono discretamente pesanti, ma alcuni sfiorano pesi eccezionali.
Inside the Panoramic Awareness Pavilion by Olafur Eliasson on a snowy day at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.
“Your daughter gave 25 years to this city. She was aware of the danger when she signed up, she was aware of the danger when she was promoted, she was aware of the danger on 9/11 when we saw outside enemies attack our soil. She was a hero. She was a hero then; she was a hero now,” said Mayor Eric Adams at today’s Celebration of Life for Captain Alison Russo.
“She was a woman who would answer over 25,000 911 calls over the course of her career and still find time to mentor, teach, train and help members of service across the entire city, and her hometown. Alison so clearly embodied the mission, the intent, the essence of being a member of FDNY EMS. That is why it is my distinct privilege today to honor Lieutenant Russo for her service, her sacrifice and her leadership, by posthumously promoting her to the rank of Captain, “ said Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh who posthumously promoted Lieutenant Alison Russo to the rank of Captain at today’s Celebration of life for Captain Alison Russo.
Chief of EMS Lillian Bonsignore said, “To the members of Station 49, and our brothers and sisters gathered here today, we are here for you. We will find our strength in each other. I know you are hurting, I know you’re in pain, I know you are angry and there is nothing I can do to take that away or change that nor would I even try. But what I can say is you were given a gift, a special gift that will last a lifetime, you stood in the presence of greatness and Captain Russo cared deeply for all of you. Let her words guide you, let the sounds of your emergency response serve as a sign of our remembrance for Captain Alison Russo. Our sirens will continue to sing, a reminder to all, the best just like Alison are on their way.”
On Thursday, September 29th, Captain Alison Russo was stabbed and killed while working at FDNY EMS Station 49 in Queens. Lieutenant Russo is the 1,158th member of the FDNY to die in the line-of-duty. View the full Celebration of Life at: bit.ly/CaptRussoCelebrationofLife
a shoot dedicated to all women who have gone through breast cancer and for you to know how amazing and beautiful I think you are
Being from Africa is the best thing that could have ever, ever happened to me. I cannot see it any other way. All of my fundamental principles that were instilled in me in my home, from my childhood, are still with me.
Hakeem Olajuwon
A Volkswagen Beetle decked out in a cancer awareness theme.
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Website | www.ericarnoldphotography.com
A Lime Mental Health Awareness Image I created in support of www.facebook.com/groups/168384363282873/
Lime-lighters for MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS is an informal group of FB members with a mission to recruit other FB members from alll over the world to promote May Mental Health Awareness Month by creative use of lime green (neon-shade).
Wear a Lime green ribbon in support of Mental Health Awareness
Month in May
RTE’s Mary Kennedy (pictured right) is joined by AMD patient Hilda Barrett to launch AMD Awareness Week 2011, which takes place from Saturday 17th- Sunday 25th September. AMD (age-related macular degeneration) is the most common cause of registered blindness in Ireland and is thought to affect one in ten people over 50. Throughout AMD Awareness Week, free testing will be available to detect the early signs of AMD at a range of opticians, eye doctors, public libraries, golf clubs and other locations nationwide. Further information about AMD and free testing locations throughout the country is available at www.amd.ie. Picture Conor McCabe Photography.
Road safety campaigners talked to students from the University of Manchester on Wednesday 6 February, to highlight the dangers posed to cyclists and bikers straying into the blind spots of HGVs and buses.
In the five years 2008/2012 there has been 10 motorcyclists and pedal cyclists killed and 47 seriously injured as a result of accidents with HGVs and buses on the roads of Greater Manchester. In the same period five of those road deaths and six serious injuries occurred where the driver’s vision was affected by the vehicle’s blind spot.
Campaigners say that cyclists, bikers and HGV drivers should take extra care when sharing the road to ensure that they are visible to each other. Drivers should especially watch out for cyclists when turning left.
Cyclists are warned to give HGVs a wide berth and remember that it is safer to be behind a lorry than at the side of it where a driver may not be able to see you clearly, particularly when attempting to turn.
This increased policing focus on road safety is a part of Operation Dice launched at the beginning of 2012 in response to a shocking increase in road deaths in 2011 when 76 people lost their lives on the roads of Greater Manchester. Figures from 2012 demonstrate that 49 people lost their lives, a decrease of 36 per cent on the previous year.
Under Operation Dice Greater Manchester Police is working with other emergency services and partners to increase public awareness of the ‘fatal four’ factors that feature in most road accidents i.e. drink driving, speeding, drivers using mobile phones and drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts.
It also tackles drivers putting their own lives and that of their passengers and road users at risk through dangerous driving and flouting road safety laws.
Inspector Paul Rowe from GMP’s Roads Policing Unit said; “Stay safe, stay back and be seen is the most important message we can give to cyclists and bikers. They, by the very nature of their mode of transport are especially vulnerable on the roads and should, along with other road users, take extra care when sharing our roads”.
“Visibility is the key factor in many traffic accidents and cyclists and bikers can increase theirs by good road positioning, ensuring they use front and rear lights and wearing high-vis clothing.”
The event will be the start off a police enforcement campaign in which the police aim to educate and advise cyclists. Any offenders issued with a fixed penalty ticket will have the chance to attend a forthcoming educational meeting involving the joint campaigners in which the penalty ticket will be rescinded.
Karen Delaney, from DriveSafe, said “Cyclists do not have the benefits of safety cages, seatbelts or side impact bars, so when a collision occurs it can result in serious injury or worse for the rider.
“A significant number of collisions are down to road users attitude and behaviour. I would imagine that most people know somebody who rides a cycle and we would ask all road users to look out for cyclists and treat them with respect.”
These educational meetings will take place at Withington Fire station from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Tuesday 19 February 2013, Thursday 28 February 2013 and Thursday 7 March 2013.
Transport for Greater Manchester continues to offer a free cycling refresher course for those wanting to get back on a bike after sometime away. The scheme is specifically aimed at those who want to sharpen their skills in order to cycle to-and-from work and is provided by an expert instructor at flexible times.
There's no need to be worried about getting back on your bike or trying something new with our free cycle training courses for adults.
For more information please visit cycling.tfgm.com/
Welcoming all who may be interested to visit the Awareness Gallery by the SLRandom ArtCrew on the RydenShire region. This destination is an educational resource for various medical conditions that affect people on a day-to-day basis. Spread some understanding and kindness.
Community liaison officer Kouassi Henri Djaha (centre) from the International Cocoa Initiative speaks to Bako Aladji Ali (centre left) and his family about the risks faced by children working in cocoa plantations.
IUPD Cadet Anahi Santos helped plan a surprise Breast Cancer Awareness event on campus to celebrate and honor survivors, and remember those who lost the battle. The event included a visit by the Pink Heals firetruck.
Conceptual portraits of the wearable fashion line done for Art Awareness 2012 at ACAD, Calgary, designed by Steffi Lord and Kendra Bunchanan, and photographed by Amie Le Blanc
Feel free to check out more images at my website: amieleblanc.ca/