#107 Devils of San Fratello

(Part 1)

San Fratello is perched high up in the rambling Sicilian highlands, nesting itself in the crown of the Nebrodi Mountains, which run along the Tyrrhenian coast towards Palermo.

The road on the way to the town negotiates its way through the mountains like an elaborate obstacle course; every car climbs up and navigates hairpin curves and steep ascents.

Driving up to San Fratello, I am distracted by the endless mountains and their irregular shapes. It's as if this part of the earth was once a giant cauldron, filled with melted pitch left to cool after being violently boiled.

The escarpments left behind after the creation of these mountains are outlined by an expansive cloak of forest that distends out like an insidious moss, covering wet stones. The greenery of the invading vegetation expands to the length and breadth of the island, the uneven growth interrupted by the scars of past landslides and roads that cut through the slopes.

The colours, too, attract my attention; it is early Spring, and the heavy greys of Winter are being surpassed by the bounties of the goddess Demeter, who has reigned over the island since time began. The countryside is filled with fresh new grasses, and blossoming pale pink flowers resurrect the dead almond trees.

Arriving near the town, I see paddocks divided by clumsy fences, which hold the robust San Fratello horse breed grazing on the springtime grass. These thoroughbreds are as noble as their Arabian origins. They are the essence of strength and elegance, with their fresh, velvety black coats and steadfast physiques. They fit precisely into the landscape, as wild and intense as any steep climb or precipice.

The history of the San Fratello breed dates back to the Sicily of the eleventh century. They are said to be descendants of the remnants of cavalry left behind during one of the many battles for Sicily's possession. The Arabs came up against the Norman invaders from France towards the end of their period of domination over the island, from 827 to 1060 A.D. The struggle between the two powers lasted some twenty years, and one of the points of focus was here in the fertile Nebrodi Mountains.

I haven't come to San Fratello to see the horses, even though they are a fascinating sidetrack: I've witnessed an ancient Easter celebration, which is part spectacle and part mysterious ancient ritual.

Easter is one of the most important feasts in the Roman Catholic Church calendar, and in Europe, it's more widely celebrated than Christmas. It also comes together with the welcomed Spring, so the celebration at San Fratello is a mixture of religious ceremonies and pagan rites associated with the seasons.

There are endless Easter celebrations in Sicily, from processions re-enacting the last moments of Jesus' life with antique statues, which meander through small towns, to decorative Palm Sunday celebrations showing the journey of Jesus from triumphal acclamations, to betrayal and execution, death and resurrection.

These festivities are all pure theatre and spectacle, dating back to medieval times when the church sought to educate the ordinary people about the central figure and founder of the Roman Catholic religion to bring people into the church. Easter in Sicily is full of traditions, the most colourful of which happens here at San Fratello.

The Diavolata of Good Friday is a mixture of the diabolical, as its name suggests, and of many other complex strands of history, exhibited by the spectacle of the costumes and the music, filled with pagan and Christian energy. Good Friday is when Jesus is crucified and is considered a day of mourning for the church. Still, at San Fratello, the characters of the Giudei, or the Jews as they are known, turn the solemn funeral of Jesus into a macabre celebration, which mocks both Christ and those who condemned him to death.

Driving along the main street of San Fratello, I see a Giudeo for the first time. He's one of a series of men in the most confusing dress, which seems both comical and sinister at the same time. The Giudei slowly multiply, strolling in bright red jackets with yellow lapels, pantaloons, pseudo-military trimmings, and ridiculous helmets decorated with different shapes and designs. They are soldiers from an army that never existed, gathering together yearly to disrupt the Easter celebrations and the town with their masked faces, ridiculous appearance, practical jokes and trumpeting…

This article continues below after the paywall, subscribe if you want to finish reading. Part 2 of this in depth article is coming tomorrow.

After subscribing, you will access these bonus posts with the latest instalment of my travel memoir, Sicilian Descent, dedicated to my experiences living in Sicily.

This year, I will also offer subscribers a weekly podcast from me in Sicily once my travel memoir sharing is done.

Plus, all the other previously published articles are in my newsletter archives.

Your support makes my work possible.

If you want a subscription but can't afford one, please email me at rochelledb@substack.com, and I can add you to the comp list.

Sometimes, I talk about Sicily.

Other times, I talk about whatever is on my mind.

My writing is always lightning, the mental load and sharing something of my thoughts with you.

I hope you enjoy the randomness of A Load Off My Mind.