San Marcellu 2024 in Aleria: a true Corsican festivity
This weekend, people in Corsica are invited to join the celebration of San Marcellu (Saint-Marcel) in Aleria. This may not be the most popular event in Corsica, but it indubitably is a true “Corsican” one. Not only because it occurs in January, the less attractive month for tourists. But especially because it holds the spirit of a simple, yet rich in terms of traditions, rural event.
An unmissable procession
Most of the activities will take place this Sunday, the 28th of January. The main event is the procession going from the Cateraghju (a fraction of Aleria situated on the main T10 road) to the chapel of San Marcellu, on the upper part near the “Forte de Matra” and its famous Roman site and museum. The singularity of this procession (and its obvious beauty) comes from the horsemen leading the march. Most of them come from Aleria and its surroundings, whereas some others would usually come from Sardegna, where this kind of precession also exists. On this occasion, the riders will have their horses blessed by the priest.
Celebrating our animals at San Marcellu
For those who enjoy horses, the San Marcellu celebration is also the occasion to witness trials of speed and skill. The “Stella” event (Stella means “star”) will test the skill of the riders, who will try to catch a suspended object while riding at full speed. The San Marcellu is also a great occasion to discover some Corsican races of dogs, horses, and donkeys, as the owners of those can bring them to get their identity certified. Besides, the festival offers demonstrations of blacksmithing and horseshoeing.
The San Marcellu 2024 in Aleria is a nice event to experience. It also offers activities for the kids, a conference and some concerts. We will attend it so be sure we will come back next week with some photos and videos of the procession and the rest of the events! Be sure to check also our Instagram account.
Main picture belongs to the organisators of the event : https://www.facebook.com/events/901168448238148
