J + 8 : Santo Stefano & Black Madonna Party

The majestic Greek Theatre in Tyndaris has been partially refurbished and hosts many musical and theatrical performance every summer

Last night, there was a big party in Milazzo. After dinner, we went ashore to find out what people were celebrating. The entire town was on the beach promenade. Families with small babies. Couples dressed up elegantly. Elderly women in their Sunday gowns - their hubbies in shorts. Teenage girls and boys trying to impress each other. On stage, the Italian rapper Ermal Meta doing his thing - his light show more impressive than his music. A market with lots of goodies nobody needs lined the mile long sea front. The crowd slowly moved back and forth. It was 11 pm. Nobody intended to go to sleep.

Milazzo at around 11 pm - the Rappers were still going strong

Milazzo was celebrating its patron, Santo Stefano. Earlier in the day, his wooden statue was paraded through Milazzo's old and new town. Carried by 40 men in red T-shirts, it was carried from the old church on the fortress hill to the newer, bigger church down at sea and back up again. Santo Stefano is not a local figure. In 1461, a tiny led box was "found" at the Santa Maria church with an arm fragment and a text identifying the remains as belonging to Santo Stefano, the first Christian martyr.

The Chiesa Madre di Santo Stefano Protomartire was

Dressed up for the Occasion

Without further ado, the town made him its local patron saint. They probably did not have anyone before. After Jesus' cruxification, the Apostles appointed Stephan as the first deacon of Jerusalem to support the Greek speaking minority with food and a little money. His preaching of salvation and resurrection though did not go down well with the Jewish elders. He was soon tried for blasphemy and stoned to death. Saul of Tarsus who would become Apostle Paul later in his life, was present at his trial and supported his execution. Maybe this triggered his wake-up call on the road to Damascus. Milazzo celebrates its local patron always on the first Sunday in September. In the rest of Italy where Stephan is also popular La Festa di Santo Stefano takes place on 26 Dec.

The Remains of the Roman Basilica, probably an Admin Center, are impressive

Before crossing over to Vulcano, we are off to Tyndaris, the last Greek colony established in Sicily. Due to its blocking position, it played a important strategic role. Any military force moving towards Messina or Palermo had to pass through Tyndaris. At its peak in the 4th century BC, the town apparently had 5'000 inhabitants and a thriving port on the coast. The port has since been swallowed by alluvial deposits and its exact location remains unknown.

The gently sloped Plateau of Tyndaris is protected by high Cliffs at the back. On the Drone Photo from Left to Right: Roman Basilica, Residential Settlements and Greek Theatre

Tyndaris itself was built on a cliff sided gentle slope with excellent view on the Tyrrhenian. It was protected by a mighty acropolis on its eastern end (today the location of the Black Madonna Church) and surrounded by strong walls. Tyndaris was built in the classical Greek gird style as we discovered in Naxos two days ago. The main axis runs east-west, but is interrupted in regular intervals by north-south aleys.

Town Map of ancient Tyndaris - Photo taken from the Archeologic Park Center

Tyndaris has one of the best preserved Greek theatres in Sicily. Built in the 4th century BC, it offers a spectacular view on the sea and sits 3'000 people - far too big for a town of only 5'000 inhabitants. The number of seats hints at a town size of 60'000 to 80'000 people. I wonder what explains the discrepancy. The town also has a magnificent Roman Basilica from 400 AD which must have served as administrative center. Another indication that the town played a pretty important role.

Tyndaris Summer Festival Program July-August 2026

During the Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome, Tyndaris was controlled by the former. But the town's population favoured Rome. To prevent the town from switching sides, Carthage took hundreds of citizens hostage. Given its strong defensive position, Tyndaris proved to be a major obstacle for Rome's advance towards Palermo. Eventually, the Romans landed a force near Palermo and took Tyndaris from the West. In 257 BC, an indecisive naval battles between Rome and Carthage took place right below the town. Rome was still a novice in naval warfare and had to learn the ropes.

The Church of the Black Madonna of Tindari was built on the Foundations of Tyndaris' Acropolis - the round to the right was also heavily fortified

Tyndaris was mostly forgotten until 1838. Its remains were discovered by accident. Still, serious excavations started only after 1945. How such an important town could slip into oblivion is a mystery to me. The collaps of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD was bad news for any town making its living from long-distance trading. Tyndaris also suffered from earth quakes which caused parts of the cliff sliding into the sea but is still mentioned in Byzantine records though. It was eventually abandoned after the Arabs' invasion. It seems that Tyndaris' blocking position between Messina and Palermo had no value to the new Arab rulers. Or maybe it was abandoned because its harbour got completely silted. Milazzo with its deeper harbour and a sizeable rock to build a fort on was an attractive alternative. The Arab rukers moved on and Tyndaris started its 1'000 years of beauty sleep. Today, Tyndaris is a busy place again. In July and August there are many musical and theatrical performances in its ancient theatre.

Entrance to the Tyndaris Acropolis - its defensive Walls

made from Square Stones are impressive

Even more busy is the Basilica Sanctuario Maria SS de Trindari. Built on the site of the former Acropolis and probably with its stones, the Madonna Nera di Tindari kept the name of the town alife. Legend has it that the Black Madonna and Child, carved from cedar wood and featuring dark skin, came here from the Levant in the 8th century. Whether escaping iconoclastic purges or the advancing Islam is difficult to say. Since then, the Madonna statue is at the heart of the Church and visited every year by thousands of pilgrims. They climb up the steep hill of Tyndaris' former acropolis - or take the bus for EUR 3.- There is a solemn procession in honour of the Black Madonna every first weekend in September. We arrived just a day late but still witnessed the hundreds of pilgrims climbing the hill.

Sailing to the Island of Vulcano where we stay tonight

Now it is time to set sail for Vulcano, where we plan to stay in a quiet bay overnight. Dinner will be zucchini flowers and stuffed octopus. Tomorrow, at sun rise, we will climb the 196 meters high Monte Vulcano. But this is for tomorrow's blog.

The Bay on Vulcano's western Side where we anchor for tonight