PIAZZA ARMERINA

Palio dei Normanni

12 - 13 - 14  Agosto

The Palio of the Norman ones is the most ancient medieval demonstration of the midday of Italy, every year has been developed in the city of Armerina Plaza since 12, to August 14, to recall the enterprise that the Norman ones performed in Sicily around 1060 when Roger of Altavilla, allied of the pope, it chased the Saracens and it imposed its kingdom on Sicily, that was him granted in exchange for the achieved success.
In sign of investiture and auspice for the liberation from the Saracen domination the Pontiff pope Alessandro II in 1063, gave Roger to the count a Banner, a Byzantine icon with the effigy of the Madonna, painted, according to the tradition, for hand of St. Luca.
The Count did his/her own flag of it "signum victoriae", that would have conducted him/it during the war against the Saracens of victory in victory, you/he/she submitted him/it to his/her best troops the Norman-lombarde, that were appropriated in the meantime in the city of Armerina Plaza.
The Banner for the victories brought during the war was held miraculous and made object of popular cult.
For this the Palio of the Norman ones is developed on the occasion of the celebrations of Maria SS. of the Victoria queen of the city of Armerina Plaza.

Calendar of the Palio of the Norman ones:
12 August:
The Gran Judge, what representative of the judicial power and government of the city, with an action ritual delivery the weapons to the Riders of the four districts and the public Proclamation to the Town crier of Plutia.
After this ceremony, the whole historical procession brings him in the Cathedral Basilica for the religious ceremony of the benediction of the Riders and the Districts and the donation from the Gran Judge of a lamp that is set to the feet of the altar that it guards the Sacred image of Maria SS. of the Victoria.
After the solemn religious ceremony that represents the most intimate moment that the Districts live, the historical Procession crossing the principal streets, it withdraws him in the loggias of region St. Pietro.
13 August:
The second day is reconstructed the pompous and triumphal entry of the Norman troops in the city.
The procession composed by the militias, from the Norman cavalry and from the Count Roger with the papal Banner of "the Victoria Maria Santissima", they serve solemn entry in the city as door Castellina, where crossing the principal streets they come in the plaza of the Cathedral.
To welcome him/it, announced here by rings of trumpets and rolls of drums the representatives of the city: the Prior with the Judge of the Districts, the Notable ones, the Dames, the Gran Judge with the Gran Dame, the Riders of the four historical districts, Mountain - Castellina - Channels - Casalotto.
On the church square of the Cathedral Basilica, to the Count Roger he makes meeting the Gran Judge preceded by the pages, from the Master of ceremonies and from the Town crier, which after having assured the fidelity of the city, it symbolically gives him the keys of Plutia.
After the ceremony, the whole procession is recomposed and crossing the principal streets of the historical center withdraws him in the loggias of region St. Pietro.
14 August:
The third day, near the field S. Ippolito the medieval tournament develops him "You the Saracen's Quintana" that it consists in a series of tests of ability among the five Riders of the four historical districts, that are countersigned with his/her own social colors: Mountain, (yellow color) - Castellina, (blue color) - Channels, (red color) - Casalotto, (green color),
In the before and in the second test the riders have to strike the shield of the Saracen, at first with a lance and then with a spiked club; in the third test they have to insert with the lance the ring set to the arm of the Saracen; in the fourth grade they have to strike with a javelin a leaning ring from a pitchfork. In every test the horses are launched to the gallop.
To the competition they assist the characters that represent the count Roger and the city dignitaries, with their sumptuous suits of epoch. To the team of the district that realizes in the tests the most greater score you/he/she is assigned the Palio, a copy of the papal Banner of "Maria SS. of the Victoria" that it will be preserved for the whole year in the parish of the district.