Santa Águeda

The day of Santa Águeda is celebrated by all the women of the village of Torre del Compte starting with a breakfast cup of special chocolate and churros in the bar.

As can be seen in the photo below, it is a celebration which involves all ages and the eating of churros with hot chocolate is a very serious activity.

In the afternoon there was a mass in the church attended by all the ladies.

The choir and musicians were in fine form as usual.

Her name, Águeda, means "Good, Virtuous" and evokes her qualities. Águeda was a young Sicilian girl from a good family who was extraordinarily beautiful. Fate led to Senator Quintianus taking a liking to her. The continual rejections of the young girl angered him so much that he ordered her torture and that her breasts should be cut off. One year after her death, Águeda intervened by stopping an eruption of Mount Etna. This miracle elevated her to the status of Saint. Since then she has been invoked against breast pains and fires. The special cakes shown in the photo above, are blessed in the church. They are traditionally decorated with a cherry on the top and symbolise the breasts that the virgin Santa Águeda had removed 

In the photo above is the permanent shrine which is located on a street corner in the village.

The statue of Santa Águeda is taken around the village at the end of the mass.

The ladies then return to the hall next to the bar for cava and the cakes and dancing and singing!

A great way to celebrate a Saint!