All there is to know about the ”walk in Sicily and the association ”Amici Francigeni di Sicilia”
# The birth and how it works with the ”Cammini Francigeni di Sicilia”
”Wasn’t the Via Francigena located in the Tuscany? ”
”Cammini Frangeni? Is it similar to the walk of Santiago?”
These are simple questions made by people who come to retrieve their cards at ”A Casa di Amici” or persons curious about the ”Walk of Francigeni”
The Birth of ”Le Vie Francigene Di Sicilia?
This initiative was realised by group of friends who shared together a similar scouting experience, the passion for the Cammino Santiago and the Via Francigena, the desire to tour on home soil on foot and most importantly
”the willingness to rediscover the buried 700 years of story”.
Another definition given to us by Davide Comunale,the official representative of ”The Vie Francigene” is
They’re a small ONLUS association of walkers, studious and researchers founded in 2009 based on the spirit of sharing after series of walks in Italy and abroad, they pawn themselves to retrace and travel through the historical routes of Sicily in bikes, on foot, or on donkeys if available.
Through walking,they track a system that has been in existence for centuries and has been walked on by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims and Normandy Knights.
# Brief history about ”Via Francigena”
The Normans, guided by the Great Conte Ruggiero in 1060, took control of the Saracen Ṣiqilliyya, reinstating the Christian cult, edifying abbeys, monasteries and churches-fortresses.
They brought and introduced the European culture to the southern part of Italy including the bard songs and the heroic gestures of the paladins we know till today.
They settled and installed their court in Palermo and Messina, controlling the whole territory by dividing it into a diocese.
Thanks to the accuracy we have in the Royal Chancellery,in the notarial acts there is the mention of “viam francigenam” also for Sicily.
# The project of Siculi Viandanti
The ‘’Siculi Viandanti’’, our associated partners re-track the system of these ”Paths’’ that has permitted the free and easy movement in our region through the plains and valleys towards the embarkation of the Sicily region.
They try to walk on these paths by confronting informations, observing the traces on the land all with the aid and presence of archeologists and architects.
They achieve all this by paying their respect to past history and do also by avoiding to walk as less as possible on asphalt routes.
# The streets, landmarks and stops of the Pilgrim.
After a hard work done, the guys were able to put up a system with streets and landmarks, that are all connected and serves as union points for the routes of the ”Francigena”. It’s structured as follows
- The path connecting Palermo to Agrigento known as ”Magna Via Francigena”
- The path from Palermo to Messina (Lungo Le Madonie) and Nebrodi known as ”Via Francigena Le Montagne” and her most antique sister who traveled ”La Marina” through the Northern Coast which today is impossible to reach on foot.
- The path from Agrigento (Lungo la Greca Selinuntina)which goes all the way to Mazara dello vallo and from there climb towards Marsala then redirected towards Palermo and this is known as ”Via Francigena Mazarense.
- The path that connects Agrigento to Gela(Lungo la Selinuntina) and from there, points towards Lentini and reclimbs towards ”The Simeto Valley, The Mount Etna and finally jets down to the abbey of Maniace in Randazzo. And this is known as ”Francigena Fabaria”
It’s a system with over 900km traceable and secondary routes which makes it possible to walk in places mostly far and untouristy yet with rich traditions, culture, good food, friendly smiles with accommodation and reception being guaranteed either by conventional facilities or communal places setup mainly for ”Pilgrims”
#Credentials of the Pilgrim: what they are and where to retrieve them
In course of time, all the cultural and well known religious institutions have been able to make it a necessity to go in pilgrimage trips in very sacred places related to their cult: Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Jerusalem or even Mecca for our Muslim borthers
A permit used to be issued by Vescovo to certify the real motivations of the pilgrim, it bestowed the status of ”peregrinus” to the wayfarer and signaled the start of a long journey in the paths of the entire world.
In our world today,pilgrims use a ”passport” as means of wayfaring in which they carry stamps that is ”I sellos del Camino de Santiago, which testifies their passage in itinerary centers and overnight stays in accommodating facilities.
Today all pilgrims who travel through the course of ”Le Vie Francigene di Sicily can retrieve their pilgrim credentials from the association.
“A Casa di Amici” is proudly part of this network and offers a comfortable arrangement to pilgrims who desire to retrieve their credentials from the facility and begin their walk towards the paths of ”Vie Francigene”.
If you want to reserve in Palermo and start your walk from there visit
“A Casa di Amici”
If you want to take your credentials from our Hostel and GuestHouse clink the link below
#Conclusion
A woolen bag,a mattress, a walking stick, a light packed bag and very essential, comfortable and water proof shoes, a credential needed for the walking stamps and a light heart
This is basically all you need to walk your long dream
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