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Epiphany
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When:
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6 Jan 2008 (annual)
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Where:
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Piana degli Albanesi
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| Costs: |
Free
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During Epiphany every year in the town of Piana degli Albanesi, Sicily, visitors can witness the ancient and carefully-preserved religious customs of former Albanian immigrants.
The town is an extraordinary ethno-anthropological oasis only 24km (15 miles) from Palermo. It was founded in 1488, when a group of inhabitants from central Albania settled as refugees, fleeing from marauding Turkish armies.
Epiphany is the day on which followers of the Greek-Orthodox Church celebrate Jesus' baptism by following an ancient religious ritual. A font brimming with water is placed in Piazza della Fontana, the main public square, in which a holy cross is immersed three times. After that an unfortunate dove receives similar treatment and is then allowed to fly away. The dove represents the holy trinity, and the act of liberation is symbolic of freedom and religious sanctity. The bird also has a religious significance for Roman Catholics, who consume a dove-shaped cake during Easter.
The celebrations provide a rare chance to learn about one of the most neglected cultural diasporas to be found in southern Italy.
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