Burgio
Encyclopedia
Burgio is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Agrigento
in the Italian
region Sicily
, located about 60 km south of Palermo
and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,031 and an area of 42.2 km².
Burgio borders the following municipalities: Caltabellotta
, Chiusa Sclafani
, Lucca Sicula
, Palazzo Adriano
, Villafranca Sicula
.
. As a result, he was forced to surrender and leave the territory. Throughout the centuries, Burgio was ruled by lords and sultans who enriched it with royal palaces that remain well-preserved to this day, such as the Antioch, the Peralta, the Gioeni and the Colonna.
It has a splendid Renaissance external portal on the left side, with a valuable lunette niche where there is a statue of the Madonna with Child, surrounded by small saints. Inside the church, in the chapel dedicated to the Madonna of Trapani, you can admire a beautiful statue of Madonna with Child, made by Vincenzo Gagini (1527–1595).
The walls of the building are entirely decorated with wonderful stuccoes, and there are also five statues by Orazio Ferraro (1573–1650). In the church there is also a big wooden Crucifix dated back to the 13th century. of great beauty is the view you can enjoy just off the church, looking to the valley below.
The community of Burgio Church celebrates the mystery of the Cross and Resurrection through a variety of rituals and gestures that in addition to express an identity as a people, I express the attitudes of faith, hope and charity."
The Holy week Burgio, is a mixture of feelings ranging from ritual to the passion and respecting the royalties of a centuries-old tradition has the privilege of turning into spectacle
who is an Italian director. One of his films, Doppio Petto
, was filmed in Burgio with a cast of all citizens from Burgio and the nearby town of Villafranca Sicula
. Also, the jurist Michele Majetti (1888–1958), author of Il codice dei minorenni e la difesa dell'infanzia (Code for the minors and the defense of childhood), and Venerable
Andrea from Burgio (1705–1772), who was a missionary in Congo for a long period of time and is also a Saint figure to the people of Burgio even though he was never fully recognized as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church
.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Agrigento
Province of Agrigento
Agrigento is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. It has an area of 3,042 km², and a total population of 454,370...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, located about 60 km south of Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento
Agrigento
Agrigento , is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy, and capital of the province of Agrigento. It is renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas , one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden...
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,031 and an area of 42.2 km².
Burgio borders the following municipalities: Caltabellotta
Caltabellotta
Caltabellotta is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km south of Palermo and about 45 km northwest of Agrigento.-History:...
, Chiusa Sclafani
Chiusa Sclafani
Chiusa Sclafani is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 50 km south of Palermo...
, Lucca Sicula
Lucca Sicula
Lucca Sicula is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km south of Palermo and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento....
, Palazzo Adriano
Palazzo Adriano
Palazzo Adriano is a town and comune in the province of Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy.-History:The first mentions of one casale Arianum date from before 1060 under the reign of the Norman Roger I of Sicily. More reliable are the data on the hamlet of Palazzo Adriano reported in a document 1243...
, Villafranca Sicula
Villafranca Sicula
Villafranca Sicula is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km south of Palermo and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento...
.
History of Burgio
Burgio has a rich and ancient history. The exact date of the founding of Burgio is not known, however it is known that it already existed in the 14th century, when the inhabitants of the nearby Scirtea joined those of Burgio. In 1282 C.E., Burgio's mayor was among several mayors invited to the Sicilian parliament by Peter I of Aragon, King of Sicily. The first sultan of Burgio was Ali Bin Chema (King Amir, of the Idrisid dynasty), who left his kingdom in inheritance to Hamud. Hamud lost his kingdom in 1087 C.E. during the war against Roger I of SicilyRoger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
. As a result, he was forced to surrender and leave the territory. Throughout the centuries, Burgio was ruled by lords and sultans who enriched it with royal palaces that remain well-preserved to this day, such as the Antioch, the Peralta, the Gioeni and the Colonna.
The Town of Burgio
Burgio is a city of historical interest, with a castle of Moorish origin that was conquested and restructured by the Normans. In the following centuries the castle was owned by several aristocratic families, among which the Peraltas, until it was acquired by the town municipality. Today, it is reduced to very miserable conditions. There are more than one hundred portals in stone, bronze bells and craftsmen work area, stained glasses windows, wrought iron and ceramics of ancient work and also, the forest of the Sicani, profuse, rich monuments of works of art and a museum of the Mummies; and on the background a majestic castle.The agriculture is characterized by the production of olives, grapes, almonds, citrus plantations, and other fruit. The home-made pastries from Burgio (cannoli - Sicilian pastries filled with cream) are typical. Very characteristic are the ceramics hand painted with the typical yellow and green color, the bronze bells, wooden objects, and embroideries. The city boasts well developed commercial businesses, notably the only foundry existing in Sicily, important for the production of bells and ceramics. Agriculture is as much important. Among the town's monuments, there is the Chiesa di San Vito (Church of Saint Vito), dated 1500, that beholds a statue of the homonymous Saint, the Chiesa di S. Giuseppe (Church of Saint Joseph), rich of paintings and plasters of the 17th century, and the Chiesa di S. Luca Evangelista (Church of Saint Luke the Evangelist), of the 14th century. Historically remarkable is the Arab Castle (or Tower), that has recently been restructured.The Mother Church
The Mother Church, Burgios main church, standing in the highest part of the town, keeps its medieval features. It is dedicated to St. Anthony the Abbot (the patron saint) and was built in the 12th century and restored in the 14th century.It has a splendid Renaissance external portal on the left side, with a valuable lunette niche where there is a statue of the Madonna with Child, surrounded by small saints. Inside the church, in the chapel dedicated to the Madonna of Trapani, you can admire a beautiful statue of Madonna with Child, made by Vincenzo Gagini (1527–1595).
The walls of the building are entirely decorated with wonderful stuccoes, and there are also five statues by Orazio Ferraro (1573–1650). In the church there is also a big wooden Crucifix dated back to the 13th century. of great beauty is the view you can enjoy just off the church, looking to the valley below.
Holy Week in Burgio
The Easter event is not episodic, but in a centuries-old tradition that expresses in a tangible way a radical attitude of the human spirit that reveals the identity of the people burgitano with its culture and its faith.The community of Burgio Church celebrates the mystery of the Cross and Resurrection through a variety of rituals and gestures that in addition to express an identity as a people, I express the attitudes of faith, hope and charity."
The Holy week Burgio, is a mixture of feelings ranging from ritual to the passion and respecting the royalties of a centuries-old tradition has the privilege of turning into spectacle
Rifesi
On every second Sunday in august, from time immemorial, is the procession of Crucifix of Rifesi that the Cathedral Church is transported to the Sanctuary.The procession begins in the early morning and sees the heartfelt participation of the entire population of Burgio. The origins of this ancient rite are very linked to the deep devotion that binds the people of Burgio to Jesus carrying the Cross. The wooden statue, in fact, was first held at the Shrine of Rifesi and transported to Burgio in time of public calamity, only about granting the master of Rifesi. Whoever brought the crucifix to the Shrine were distributed slices of blessed bread.The Legend of Rifesi
The legend goes that a pastor, handed down from Burgio, carved the body of Christ on the Cross, then the arms, but could not in any way to sculpt the head. But an extraordinary event came to his aid: the head that he would have liked to sculpt was found near him and at the foot of a large oak. Happy for what happened,he attached the head to the rest of the body.This is the legend that is enriched with an episode that takes on the traits of miracle: the oak where the shepherd found the head of Christ was struck by lightning taken after the appearance of a cross.Famous people and films
Among Burgio's most famous citizens is Giuseppe FerlitoGiuseppe Ferlito
Giuseppe Ferlito is a well-known Italian film director. He was born on October 24, 1954 in the Sicilian town of Burgio.-Early days:In 1981, Ferlito attended the Workshop Theater of Vittorio Gassman which follows the course dramaturgy of Eduardo De Filippo, participating in the drafting of the text...
who is an Italian director. One of his films, Doppio Petto
Doppio Petto
Doppio Petto is a short film written and directed by Giuseppe Ferlito. It is filmed in Ferlito's native town of Burgio. The cast is made up of citizens of Burgio and the nearby town of Villafranca Sicula. The technicians of the film all come from the "Cinema Immagina" film school. All the...
, was filmed in Burgio with a cast of all citizens from Burgio and the nearby town of Villafranca Sicula
Villafranca Sicula
Villafranca Sicula is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km south of Palermo and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento...
. Also, the jurist Michele Majetti (1888–1958), author of Il codice dei minorenni e la difesa dell'infanzia (Code for the minors and the defense of childhood), and Venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
Andrea from Burgio (1705–1772), who was a missionary in Congo for a long period of time and is also a Saint figure to the people of Burgio even though he was never fully recognized as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.