Feast of the Three Saints Australia's Largest Religious & Cultural Festival

50th Anniversary Book & Video

The Three Saints: Faith, History, Tradition from Sicily to Queensland

By Stefano Girola

The day of martyrdom finally arrived: the whole population was in trepidation, either cheering with joy or silent and stupefied. As the three brothers refused once again to renounce their Christian faith, Tertullius, from the height of his throne, pronounced the three fatal sentences: "Alfio, who spoke too much, will have his tongue cut out!", "Filadelfo will be burnt alive on the grid!", "Cirino will be thrown into boiling tar!" The sentences were to be carried out at once. After seeing his brothers facing martyrdom with a smile akin to those who feel close to a divine reward, Cirino found the courage to jump into the cauldron, before he was thrown in.

This was the end of the earthly existence of the Three Saints, which occurred on 10th May at Pubblico. Their bodies were dragged to a place known as Strobilio and thrown into a well, as a last humiliation inflicted on those who, in their lives, shone instead with clear virtues. However, the pity of those women who had alleviated the suffering of their bodies did not stop with their death. During the night Tecla and Giustina, with the help of their servants, went to remove them from that dark and undignified burial place. The sweet perfume that increased in intensity as they approached the well helped them to find the bodies, while the three brothers appeared to them above the well, already surrounded by a celestial halo. After this vision, they took the three bodies to a cave close to the house of Tecla and Giustina. When peace had been established between the Christians and the Empire, a church was built there, in honour of the saintly brothers.

Soft Cover book - $20.95 + postage ($9.50 within Australia/$14.10 for International postage).

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