M as sea and as Mary: a very strong link capable of going beyond time and space crossing the infinite blue of the Strait waters to make themselves devotion, faith and history. That of the village of peace linked to the Madonna delle Grazie, which tells of the arrival of a picture with its effigy from the sea. For the second year (in 2024 it jumped due to bad weather) the event was recalled on the beach of Grotte: the parish community thus opened the celebrations of the patron saint who will culminate on Sunday 14 September with the procession of the simulacrum.
Illuminated by the candles heated and escorted by the parish priest Don Francesco Venuti together with the men of the Port Authority of Messina and the Municipal Police, the picture came to Riva, accompanied by the sound of the drums of the flag -wavers City of Randazzo, who had already been the protagonists of a traveling show in the streets of the village. The civil authorities welcomed it – the Liana Cannata councilor and the president of the sixth municipality Francesco Pagano – between two wings of faithful with the white -wave -waves handkerchiefs. “Return to the origins is used to rediscover the bond of faith”, said Don Francesco Venuti remembering “Who in the sea – place of hope, but also of fear – has lost their lives (those who fought the two world wars but also the sailors and migrants of every era that seek life among the waves and find death)”. The priest’s invitation to pray for peace in the world, the laurel wreath thrown into the sea and the blessing to the boats. Immediately after the procession he reached the church. The arrival of the painting of the Madonna delle Grazie is linked according to the tradition to the episode of a vessel which, accepted in the waters held by the currents, could not reach Punta Faro. The commander recalled that he had a Marian painting in the hold and thought it was the will of the Virgin to stop in that place, so that the population of the Riviera would start his cult: spotted a natural cave in front of the coast, he placed the icon. The title of Madonna della Grotta was chosen by fishermen who, stopping in prayer to receive thanks, erected a altar with a votive lamp, transforming the cave into sacrament.
