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The Festival of Saint Agata.

While nearly 100 million Americans were watching Super Bowl XL, almost 1 million Italians descended on Sicily's east coast city of Catania for the festival of Saint Agata. The three-day festival culminated early Monday morning (4 a.m. local time) after heavy rains cut short the procession. The night was a mix of rain, sweat and tears of devotion. Starting at 6 p.m. on Sunday evening a three-ton, silver carriage that houses a statue of Saint Agata left the Duomo and was dragged throughout the historic center of the city. Leading Agata were the "cittadini" - the city youth donning white robes and black hats, carrying candles and invoking devotion with chants of "Cittadini, Viva Sant'Agata." Tradition has it that the larger the candle, the greater the thanksgiving and hope for health and wellness. To be most effective, the candle must weigh the equivalent of the carriers' weight.

The tour takes 12 hours and nears a finish at dawn with over two hundred people pulling the carriage up the slope of San Giuliano, which could only be compared to some of San Francisco's steeper streets. If the float overcomes Giuliano, shorter than the size of a football field, and reaches the crossroad of Via Crocifieri without stopping, there will be favorable auspices for the year. However, because of the heavy rains throughout the night, the ascension of Giuliano was re-routed, and in customary Italian fashion the debate is raging as to whether this will impact the fate of the New Year.

St. Agata, a noble do-gooder, refused to marry a Sicilian consul in the 3rd Century and was sentenced to live and work in a brothel for one month because she had claimed chastity to God. Unfazed by this punishment and uncompromised by the brothel's patrons, the consul called her to be tortured; Agata was branded, burned and her breasts were cut off. She later died in prison. Legend has it that the white cloak Agata was wearing when she died has been used to ward off eruptions from testy Mt. Etna and thus in her death she has been faithfully watching over the city of Catania and subsequently named the patron Saint. Today a mere 20% of all churches in Catania are named in her honor.

  • The story, as noted above, was originally published on Gawker's travel website Gridskipper.com and can be found here: Saint Agata.
  • Photos from the event can be found here: Flicker - 40 photos. Or on Ofoto.

Post 19 - February'06


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  • In terms of this website, it was created in jest vis-a-vis all seriousness for the amusement of me more than you. This site has no affiliation with the Sicilians qua the Sicilians whatsoever. Copyright 2006. As it were, no reproduction or republication without written permission.