Patron Saint Agatha
In Catania the celebrations in honour of the Patron Saint Agatha are a very important festival, in which religion and folklore are indissolubly interconnected. Every year from the 2nd-5th February, the feast draws thousands of visitors from all over Sicily and beyond. During the procession, the bejewelled bust of the saint is followed by decorated golden “candelore” (candlesticks) representing the city’s trades and guilds. The candelore are tall, carved wooden columns that are so large that each one must be hauled along on the backs of 10 men, who move swiftly forward with a characteristic gait called “a ‘nnacata”. Other Saint Agatha’s Day customs include the blessing of the bread and a typical family meal.
