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Festivities for the “SS. Salvatore” (“Holy Saviour”) (2-6 August)

The 2 August, day of the official start of the festivities, the traditional flag of the Christ Almighty is deployed on the pennant between the two towers of the Cathedral. According to tradition this fact dates back to XVI century, during the free port period. This is confirmed by a 1566 document written during the bishopric of Mons. Faraone, when the customs of law depended on the bishopric. That bishop, with the consent of the Jurymen of the Town of Cefalù, and with the consent expressed by Cesare de Flore “customs officer of the Major Church in Cefalù” granted the “immunitas nundinarum”, the exemption from customs, each year during the solemnity of the “S.S. Salvatore”, for the eight days of the festivities. At the sound of bombardons and as soon as the flag was deployed all merchants could enter Cefalù, from the land or from the sea, “customs free”.

Corso Ruggero is lit up by lamps, in the ancient times by “lamparas”, i.e. the lamps of the fishermen. Every morning, the “S. Cecilia” musical band plays marches all along the streets of the town, while in the evening it goes on stage to play the music for which it has become famous.

The “Antinna a mari” (6 August)

During the afternoon of the last day of the festivities a competition called “Antinna a mari” takes place. This competition, which was wanted by the fishermen who organize,carry out and take care of it, is a competition which in its simplicity holds the very essence of the bond between man and  boat, between man and sea. The aim of the competition, to which two categories of players take part (young and old fishermen), is to reach and grab a coloured small flag tied to the point of a very long trunk, which has been made slippery by smearing it with fat and is placed perpendicular to the sea and solidly secured to the dock. Whoever succeeds in grabbing the flag usually emphasises the victory by shouting “Viva il S.S. Salvatore!”, followed by all the attending audience. There is no certain news about the historical origins of this competition. According to the most consistent hypothesis the competition originated from the game sailors used to play on the ancient sailing boats, which had a mast on the prow called of “Bompresso”.

The game of the “pignate”

Another traditional game is that of the “pignate” (pots). Earthenware pots are placed horizontally to the ground, double the hight of an average man, and inside them there are prizes but mainly water, flour, etc… The participants are bandaged and given a stick, with which they have to try and hit the pots and brake them. To hit the target they climb on the shoulders of a companion guiding them, who is also bandaged. The participant who succeeds in hitting the pot gets its contents.

On August 6, finally, the procession takes place and, around midnight fireworks are shot, either  from the wharf, from the beach or from the sea. In 2009 there were fireworks shot also on August 4.

“’A vecchia strina” (31 December)

According to local folklore, “'a vecchia strina” is an elderly charitable woman who during the night of the 31 December brings presents to the good children and coal and ashes to the bad ones, as in other Sicilian towns is done by “the dead”. In the previous day the children are told not to make too much noise because “a vecchia strina du casteddu si ‘nna adduna” (“the old woman of the castle could hear you”): it is imagined in fact that she lives on the Rock. During the evening of the eve the older children walk across the streets of the town playing the “rinali” (tins and broken vases), while the children that go to bed are recommended to keep their eyes closed, if they don't want the old woman to come “cu spitu infucatu” (“with a red-hot spit”) and burn their eyes.