Sancti et Homines #8

Sancti et Homines is an on-going photographic project that describes what religious holidays represent in Sicily in the 21st century. It is a reality full of multiple nuances that are rooted in traditions and beliefs of past centuries; a project that tells different situations and tries to bring to light the form of participation and the pure religious sentiment inside the people photographed. My participation in religious festivals arises from the desire not to be a mere external spectator; on the contrary, I wanted to get to the heart of the celebration to know popular committees and meet people available to tell not only the origin of the tradition, but also the purely organizational aspects of the event such as times, routes, events of past editions and, last but not least, the sense of attachment to the long-awaited occurrence. The committee leads, carries on the popular tradition from generation to generation, it brings back the mystery of faith; it is an feeling so intimate that, after crossing the threshold of the church, this becomes a mixed explosion of sounds, colors, lights, screams, physical effort and expressions of suffering. There are spectators, those who stop on the sidewalks, on the balconies or at the windows, who participate waiting for the passage of the procession; some of them have smartphones in their hands, but I have seen devotees that externalize deep feelings of attachment to the religious experience. Finally there are the sacred objects: crosses, crowns, flags, candles and statues, carried or pulled with ropes from men, women and animals on huge wheels or wagons.