celestial photos on Flickr

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 (see my photos of the 2016 feast): 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 2018, 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 (vedi le mie foto della festa del 2016) 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 2018, 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.

Celestial Trio! by Sarah&Simon Fisher

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Woohoo! The Moon, Mars and Venus - this was our view this morning from our front garden ;0)

celestial globe by Masako T

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I bought this celestial globe for my husband,who had been interested in astronomy since he was a little boy.

Celestial Downpour by Matías Brëa

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Miriam Sawko

celestial bokeh by ! Artist - Carolyn Hietala ! (painting)

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A macro universe in warm earthtones ;0)

Celestial by Hongyan Zhang

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Designed by Joseph Hwang.

Paper size: 5cm×5cm×30

Final size: ~7.5cm.

CELESTIAL by GRANDMASTERPHOLER GRANDMASTERPHOLER

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQlg52yc6hw

Celestial by Indigo Skies Photography

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Celestial by Clara Williams

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The Moon Winx Lodge in Tuscaloosa Alabama. I actually stayed at this motel one time, but all that is left now is the sign.

274:366

Celestial by Humberto Mancuso

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Picazuro Pigeon

Scientific name: Patagioenas picazuro (Temminck, 1813)

Portuguese: Pomba asa branca

Celestial Navigation by jesse treece

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www.society6.com/artist/collageartbyjesse

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www.facebook.com/collageartbyjesse

www.twitter.com/jessetreece

www.instagram.com/jessetreececollage

Celestial Eye by Chris

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This was one of the shots taken this evening at a vantage point in the North Meadow of Chambers Creek Properties, looking south to Steilacoom's Independence Day fireworks celebration.

I haven't taken many fireworks images as I really am not too familiar with the settings of my camera. But I did a bit of online research before heading out to watch the show, in the hopes that I would improve my technique. I used my tripod off and on, but this shot was taken while my finger was holding the continuous shot button down....thus the squiggles. However, it reminds me of some deep space shot of a distant galaxy or nebula or something. I rather like the abstract nature of this one. :-)

Celestial Storm by Pat Gaines

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Saggitarius Region of the Milky Way: the lagoon and trifid nebulas are just above center.

Celestial Mountains by Jaume Mir

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Ala-Kul Lake, Kyrguiztan

Celestial Equator by aplplasma

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43mm (on 6x7) IIRC. Fisheye might be better.

Celestial Hoodoos by Guy Schmickle

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Symmetrical hoodoos at Stud Horse Point under a starry sky near Page, Arizona. This is actually a blend of two images. The first (involving the hoodoos) was shot at twilight about 15-20 minutes after sunset using iso 100 to eliminate noise. The second (involving the sky) was shot about 45-60 minutes afterwards at iso 800 and 25 seconds to minimize star movement as I wanted a static star scene. Obviously, a tripod and some patience were required to realize the final image.

You can read more about this particular trip to the northern Arizona desert in this blog entry.

View on Black

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The Celestial City by Abigor

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Home of the Menti Celesti, this floating city acts as sanctuary for those seeking. It exists in it's own pocket of space, outside the normal spectral scope.. Will you find your way here, or will you wake up at our door? Come find out.... A Broken Wormhole Awaits

Celestial Lens by F Delventhal

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Photo taken using Adobe Photoshop Camera app.

Captured during the day with clear blue sky with fig tree and pine tree.

Celestial Rendezvous by Katrin Shumakov

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That was a glorious sunset and sky show on New Year’s Eve.

A beautiful conjunction of the two brightest celestial bodies after the sun - the slender crescent Moon and the planet Venus - was visible in the southwest sky at dusk and early evening on December 31, 2008.

Also the planets Jupiter and Mercury were sitting close to the horizon in the direction of sunset. Jupiter was fairly easy to see, as it’s the 4th brightest celestial body after the sun, moon and Venus to adorn the heavens.

Watching this celestial rendezvous was a wonderful way to end the year!

Celestial Vapor by Patricia Maess

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Celestial Hues by Susan Wahome

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#PicsArt @Sarasota, Florida

Entre seres celestiales by Angel Mario Ksheratto Flores

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"El Güero", tenía su lado religioso, espiritual. Solía pasar horas junto a las esculturas de los arcángeles sobre uno de mis libreros.

Celestial Symphony by perkijl61

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Celestial Hues by Susan Wahome

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#PicsArt @Sarasota, Florida

Southern Swirl by Mark Watson

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The lights of the Hermitage Hotel and Mount Cook Village beneath the South Celestial Pole.

I spent a couple of beautiful calm winter days here last week researching for a book project and shooting some landscapes with lots of fresh snow around.

Mark Watson :: highluxphoto.co.nz/blog

celestial simulacrum by Barbara A. White

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Celestial Butterfly by MICHAEL SANTOS

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Out in the night finding beautiful things

Celestial Event by Brian Knott

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Siberian Outpost,Sequoia National Park, Ca.

This is another one from my backpacking trip in the Eastern Siearra in July. This is at camp in the Siberian Outpost. The moon was still too bright in the sky to shoot the milkyway so I decided to incorporate the moonset here. There was a lot of moisture in the air which accounts for the rather large glow around the moon.

Press L to view large on black.

www.ForgetMeKnottPhotography.com

Celestial Flames by Iceman_2222

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Sunset on the River Yamuna, Delhi, with monsoon clouds.

Celestial by Randy Caldwell

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New York wandering in the past

Garden of Celestial Bliss by Birgitte Jonsgard

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A Chinese water garden with a variety of aquatic plants (obviously) and the Golden Frog Pavillion.

The Celestial Empress by bob gould

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Lego Spaceship MOC: The Celestial Empress is a large nuclear pulse propelled spaceship designed specifically to take a contained colony to Alpha Centauri. The Nuclear warhead propulsion system is based on the Project Orion concept and will take this half million Earth ton vessel to .99.99 of the speed of light. It take a little over a year to reach maxim velocity, it will turn cruise for a further 4.5 years before flipping over and using the same propulsion to decelerate for another year before reaching its destination of Alpha Centauri.

There is a transit system from the bow module to the cargo

Celestial Empress

Built at Lunar Shipyard by British American Space Exploration Corp (BASECo) for NASA in 2091

Launched: 2107

Propulsion: Nuclear pulse

Weight: 544,000 Earth tonnes

Length: 1km

Width: 351m

Height 307m

Crew 33(3 shifts of 11)

Passengers 4,023 (in cryosleep) a

Cargo: 200,000 Earth tonnes

Aircraft: 9 Drop-ships, 6 Shuttles, plus Drones

Celestial by jllanos20

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Celestial jllanos

Celestial by Kip Loades

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Celestial Hues by Susan Wahome

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#saplings #plants #sky #seawater #flowers #PicsArt @Sarasota, Florida

Celestial Stellar Universe by Bo Insogna, BoInsogna.com

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A scenic landscape view into the night sky with the silhouette of forest trees looking into the stellar galaxy celestial starfields and universe. This was taken in Bryce Canyon, Utah.

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Celestial Hues by Susan Wahome

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#PicsArt @Sarasota, Florida

celestial by Diego Lima

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Celestial Confidence by Lea Anna .C. Jung

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* Click to Enlarge *

Eden Stone Crush

So…

I recently adopted two wonderful babies. They are called + Sempiternal Eden Stone Light and + Sempiternal Eden Stone Dark by % anxiety. They are insanely awesome.

I was in the % anxiety store, browsing for the next toy. And then I saw them. It was love at first sight. Sempiternal Eden Stone. For days I would find myself at the store when logging in. And I would go back to the demo again. Dilemma: The Light or the Dark? I bought the Dark. Rezzed it and immediately went to get the Light. Of course. I had to have them both. They are one and they are two.

This set is one of the most exquisite things I have seen in my whole ten years of Second Life. I just spent a few days playing in them, shooting, exploring, experimenting, trying to figure things out, discovering the lights, the symmetry that isn’t one, the sick geometry, the possible angles, the refined and intricate roof lines, the gothicity of the whole thing, the refinement of the beige and gold, the rawness of the reds and darks. They are mazes, labyrinths…

I am in awe, head over heels in love with these two marvels. I also find them exquisitely bipolar. Fear and peace. Light and Darkness. Oppression and Relief. So many more dualities than I can count. It’s vertiginous. The photo possibilities are endless. Behind each corner, beauty.

This just blew my mind.Thank you % anxiety guys. Seriously. I had a blast.

*Stella Genesis / Lea Rage*

# CREDITS #

+ SEMPITERNAL [Stone Eden] LIGHT by % anxiety

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Lumipro Professional Photography HUD

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Phenomenal/246/177/1501

Bauhaus Movement Poses - Mikasa

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.Body

Catwa Head Kimberly

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