The magic of the ‘Festino’ of Santa Rosalia on display in London

The exhibition ‘Palermo flourishes with Santa Rosalia’ stops in Londondove it is possible to visit it at the Italian Cultural Institute until January 7th. The exhibition, a selection of shots taken by professional photographers
and photojournalist
on the occasion of the Festino of 14 July 2024, enriched by the 4 winning photos of the 202 competition – was inaugurated by the deputy mayor and councilor for culture of the Municipality of Palermo Giampiero Cannellaand by the director of the Italian Cultural Institute in London Francesco Bongarrà, in the presence of the vice president of the Chamber of Deputies Giorgio Mulè, the president of the Culture Commission of Montecitorio Federico Mollicone and the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Monsignor Miguel Maury Buendia. Giampiero Cannella underlined the London stage of the exhibition organized by the Municipality of Palermo as part of the events organized to celebrate the 400 years since the discovery, in July 1624, of the mortal remains of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of the city, represents ”a fundamental moment in the path we are carrying out all over the world with the photographic exhibition dedicated to the patron saint of Palermo. London, one of the most important capitals globally, is a crossroads of cultures, traditions and peoples: the ideal place to make known not only the figure of our patron saint, but also the traditions linked to her cult, to the ‘Santuzza”. ”Through the magnificent shots of the winning photographers of the competition promoted by the Municipality of Palermo – said Bongarrà – the exhibition restores all the magic of the Festino and the intense participation of the people of Palermo in celebrating their Patron Saint with a festival that is a manifestation of faith, devotion and participation of the people. I am deeply convinced that London represents an ideal stop for this international tour: a city that has always welcomed the cultural expressions of my beloved island with curiosity and affection”.