Get Involved
The Sicilian Cultural Association plans many activities throughout the year. One of our most successful is the Festa di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph Feast Day Celebration.) In the tradition of helping those in need, we donate a portion of the proceeds from this event to several charities, which have included the Shrine of St. Joseph, the Monastery of the Poor Clares, and the Little Sisters of the Poor. Every year at our annual Christmas party, we select a charity to donate to, as well. We have had toy drives, diaper drives, donated to St. Louis Area Foodbank and Catholic Charities Hurricane Relief - Helene and Milton.
Meaning of the Trinacria
What’s the meaning of the Trinacria today? How many different influences did the symbol take and make its own through its long history?
At the beginning, the symbol was simply formed by three legs connected to a central point. The head appeared only later and came from a Greek symbol called gorgoneion, which represented the winged head of Medusa, a mythological creature with snakes for hair and considered a lucky charm and wards off evil.
Sprouting from the head we also have three grain ears which are traditionally associated with Sicily’s fertility and the island’s agricultural abundance, while the two wings are a symbol of the eternity of time.
The Sicilian Parliament adopted the Trinacria as a symbol of Sicily in 2000. However, the Trinacria has been used as a symbol of Sicily for centuries. It is found at the center of the flag on a red-and-yellow-colored background. The colors are a tribute to Palermo (red) and Corleone (yellow), the first two cities to rebel during the Sicilian Vespers in 1282. This same episode also represents the first time the Sicilian flag with the Trinacria appeared.
Today, the Trinacria has mostly lost its religious meaning, but it’s still popular as a lucky charm This – also thanks to its natural association with Sicilian identity – has made it an endless source of inspiration for talented Sicilian artisans, who choose it to tell a story about their own land.
The strength of this symbol, its ability to renew and repurpose itself in a new and yet still traditional way is one of the reasons why it’s such an important part of the Sicilian identity and heritage. A perfect sum of Sicily’s ability to absorb from the most diverse sources and to create something that feels genuinely “Sicilian.”