Events calendar Sicily

The feast of the patron saint of Syracuse, whose name in the local dialect means doves, is held every year in May. It celebrates the miracle of 1646, when a dove entered the cathedral to announce the arrival of ships loaded with grain as famine ravaged the city. On the first weekend, the statue is taken out of its niche, carried from the chapel to the altar, and the solemn Eucharistic celebration takes place in the cathedral before the doves are released. The following weekend, a procession of the faithful parades through the streets of Ortigya.

This festival of medieval origin comes from a still primitive Christianity and evokes an archaic struggle between good and evil, a very Manichean concept. Villagers disguised as demons knock on doors, waving chains. Guided by death, they try to capture the souls of the living. In the afternoon, the situation changes: it is the meeting between Christ, the Madonna and the Angels who save Christ from the devils. It takes place in Prizzi, a small medieval village near Corleone, in the hinterland of Palermo.

Patron saint of the city. It is one of the most important annual religious festivals in Sicily. The city of Palermo is in turmoil and the statue of St. Rosalia is carried in triumph for five days on a huge chariot representing the city. The characteristic Sicilian chariots follow, colorful and pulled by horses. All the Palermitans flock along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

The symbolism of death has always been very important in Sicily, particularly in Palermo where the Catacombs of the Capuccini are located. Of the 8,000 corpses of wealthy Palermo residents who died between the 17th and 20th centuries, nearly 3,000 were mummified. On All Saints' Day, children receive gifts. A way of remembering the dead... And in the catacombs, on the tombs, they even eat pupi di cena, little sugar figures. A tradition that continues particularly in the region of Palermo.

The city of Agrigento organizes the Sagra of the Almond Tree in Bloom. Celebrated for the first time in 1934, it brings together crowds every year to celebrate nature and the sumptuous beauty of the Valley of the Temples. The Almond Tree Sagra revolves around an international festival of dance and folk music. Costumed groups perform in the alleys of the old town and up to the Temple of Concord. The almond trees blossom in Agrigento to music and in public! It's a great opportunity to celebrate our heritage and nature.