The feast of St. Roch in Scylla

The Church of St. Roch, in the square of the same name in Scylla, houses two statues that are the subject of legends and devotion: the first, made of precious Greek Parian marble, comes from Venice, the city where the saint's remains were translated and to which the sailors of Scylla turned to obtain a relic; the second statue, made of wood, is the subject of a legend that wants it carved by a divine hand. The first evidence of the cult of St. Roch in this locality dates back to 1595 and attests to the presence of a confraternity devoted to the saint who protected Scylla from the plague in Reggio Calabria in the late 15th century. During the festival, the statues are carried in procession through the San Giorgio, Chianalea and Marina Grande neighborhoods. The long procession is made up of worshippers armed with giant candles called "nthrocci," which accompany the saint, affectionately called San Roccheddu. On the last day of the feast, the statues are brought back church with a spectacular running entrance, the so-called "trionfino," in honor of the saint's triumph over the plague.