From Nicosia the walk continues to Capizzi and the sanctuary of St. James.
In Capizzi we are now in the Province of Messina and close to Cerami, the site of the famous Norman Battle against the Arabs with the legend of St George as the Matamoros assisting the greatly outnumbered Normans to victory.
Both Ptolemy and Cicero mention Capitum, Capizzi precursor and it appears that the town had considerable importance during Hellenistic and Roman times together with Haluntium (present-day San Marco d’ Alunzio).
Capizzi is renowned for the Sanctuary of St James the Elder and for the feast of the Saint every year in July. The statue of St. James the Elder is carried on the shoulders by the Capitini accompanied by the musical band. After exiting the sanctuary, the statue goes around the streets of the town, making stops in the various churches. White tablecloths, money or provola that are hung to the platform of the statue as it is being carried in procession as offerings by the town’s inhabitants.
During the procession the so-called “Wall of Miracles” is demolished. There are two legends that explain the demolition of the wall: the first says that in the house where the wall was demolished there was a pagan temple and then the Capitini destroyed it to chase them away; the other legend (the most likely) that a knight Sancho De Heredia lived there in that house and he was commissioned by the Pope to bring relics to Messina. Before arriving in Messina, Sancho stopped for some time in Capizzi and in that period Capizzi was the destination of many pilgrimages to visit the relics. The bishop of Messina did not accept the fact that Capizzi had all these visitors and therefore called the Pope who ordered Sancho De Heredia to bring the relics to Messina. When the Capitini discovered the Pope’s order, they broke through the house of Sancho De Heredia with the platform of the statue as a battering ram and took the relics of Saint James.
Another legend regarding the number of blows to the wall, dictates whether the harvest would be an abundant one or not. An even number of blows until they break through means that the farmers should expect a fruitful harvest.
Although the Cammino di San Giacomo in Sicilia ends in Capizzi, the Camino Maltés continues from Capizzi to Sperlinga on its way to Palermo.
From Capizzi the walk continues to Sperlinga following the .gpx route.