saint michael archangel

The feast of St. Michael Archange, the patron saint of the island of Procida, takes place on 8 May, the day of the miracle operated by the saint in 1535, when many barbarians, following the Corsaro Barbarossa, disembarked on the island to plunder it.

They were already near the Citadel Gate when, suddenly, the whole promontory of Terra Murata was surrounded by fire, lightning and thunderbolts. Scared, they left without even remove the anchors.

The supernatural help of the Patron Saint was evident to all.

Since then, the cult of St. Michael Archange has indissolubly ingrained with the history and culture of Procida.

The precious statue of the Saint, enriched in silver, with devotional objects offered by the faithful, is carried in procession, from the Abbey of Terra Murata, through the streets of the historical centre.

On the occasion of the feast of San Michele, many French citizens, with Procidian origin, residing in La Ciotat and in Marseilles, arrive. In the mid-1900s, many procidians emigrated, searching for a job, in Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria.

The procidians, especially the fishermen, in that place of coral, brought with them their love for Procida and the strong and fervent worship for their Patron Saint Michael Archange.

Even today, our Procidian-French emigrants keep their origins and faith alive and, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Michael, they return to assist the religious functions, emulated during the procession in honour of Saint Michael, their protector.