Above: Statue of Saint Agatha, affectionately known as Santuzza, in front of the Basilica di Sant’Agata in Catania
I wanted to do a “birthday” post for Saint Agatha (231?-251?), but recent world news knocked the wind out of my sails to the point I felt unable to complete it last night. But that’s not fair to Santuzza on her feast day, February 5.
Saint Agatha can’t be expected to solve all the world’s problems. The faithful turn to her for intercession so often; she already has a lot on her hands. The Sicilian martyr serves as the patron saint of victims of breast cancer or rape, and of wet nurses, firefighters, workers in bell foundries and bakers. Plus, Sicilians offer prayers to the Catania native for safety from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions of Mount Etna. The virgin martyr also is the patron saint of both Palermo and Catania in Sicily.
Some of Saint Agatha’s patronages are obvious from the stories of her martyrdom, which I related to you in a post from an earlier visit to Siracusa. I won’t dwell on those gruesome details here, but you can easily get the picture from these images below, a couple from Palermo but mainly Catania. There are also photos of hand-carried floats used in Catania’s huge multi-day celebration of the city’s patroness.
Curious as to how Saint Agatha gained popularity among those who forge church bells? Purely an anatomical reference comparing the shape of a bell to a woman’s breast.
And bakers? Saint Agatha often is rendered holding a tray with two breasts upon it, representing her loss. Following a centuries-old tradition, Sicilian bakers churn out thousands upon thousands of small cherry-nippled cakes – minne (breasts) di Sant’Agata – to celebrate the feast day.
The count of the minne must be even: two breasts, and two sweets, for each girl.”
The Minne Count/Il Conto delle Minne,
Giuseppina Torregrossa, 2009
It’s not just a dessert. Preparing minne represents for me a real act of gratitude and respect for the courage and determination of Santuzza…. A woman who says no, even at the risk of her life. A woman who prefers martyrdom to abjuration. A woman who is not willing to fulfill the desires of a powerful man…. For me, this is an extraordinary example. And I like to celebrate it by baking one of my favorite desserts, le minne. Round and unique, and at the same time voluptuous and intense, endowed with a great personality.”
Giovanna Musumeci, a Catania baker interviewed by Salvatore Spatafora for La Cucina Italiana
Minne di Sant’Agata suddenly have popped up as trendy amongst the fashion set, according to a recent article in the New York Times:
The trend might be viewed as an expression of female empowerment, at a time when women’s bodily autonomy is in peril and images of pregnant or nursing mothers are being censored on social media and removed from billboards, but the bakers themselves seem more interested in amusing audiences than in making political statements.”
“Why Breast-Shaped Cakes Are the Confection of the Moment,” Tanya Bush, New York Times, September 26, 2024
As I have enjoyed a pair or two of minne in Sicily, I understand the flavor part of their popularity. Far away from any now, I’m inviting you to a virtual celebration of the Feast Day of Saint Agatha where they do it best, Catania.
Postcards from Barton Springs 