Even today, during saint’s feast days in particular, breads are offered—sometimes shaped in anthropomorphic forms imitating human body parts for which healing is sought or has been received. One of the most venerated saints in this regard is Saint Blaise, to whom small loaves are still offered.

These are figurative loaves shaped like a trachea, crafted in two styles: one could say in section, horizontally, or vertically, mimicking the shape of the trachea itself (called cannaruozzu in Sicilian). This bread is prepared on the feast day of Saint Blaise (February 3rd) and is imbued with sacred-magical significance. It is blessed and distributed to the devotees, and if consumed on the feast day, is believed to aid in healing throat ailments.

 

This element has been included in the Register of Intangible Heritage of local interest of the Municipality of Buscemi, as part of Intervention 2 “Activation of the Observatory on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Territory through the application of the REIL methodology – Register of Intangible Heritage of Local Interest”, within the”Buscemi Borgo Immateriale” project, funded by the NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), Mission: Digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness, culture and tourism, Component: Tourism and culture 4.0, Investment 2.1 “Attractiveness of villages.” CUP: I84H22000050006.