A Festa Ranni - Great Summer Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot

A festival that returns every two years

In Aci Sant'Antonio, a town in the province of Catania on the slopes of Mount Etna, devotion to the patron saint Saint Anthony the Abbot is expressed in two distinct moments. There is the liturgical feast on January 17, which is intimate and religious, and then there is 'A Festa Ranni' — literally 'the great feast' in the Sicilian dialect — which is celebrated only in even-numbered years during the summer. This is the most anticipated event: weeks of festivities that transform the town and draw thousands of people, many of whom, according to local tradition, take time off work specifically so they don't miss it.

The Cerei and the four categories

The heart of the festival is the Cerei (candelore), large votive structures carried on shoulders that were already illuminating the procession route back in the 18th century. Organized around them are the town's four historical categories — including the master craftsmen and the cartwright-merchants — who enliven the town with their Cerei, fireworks, and public appearances. The roots of this devotion are ancient: a document from 1563 attests that the inhabitants of the old Casalotto were already carrying the precious statue depicting Saint Anthony the Abbot in the act of blessing in procession.

Sicilian carts, Notte Bianca, and illuminations

Among the most scenic highlights of the Festa Ranni are the parade of Sicilian carts, linked to the local Cart Museum, the Notte Bianca (White Night) with shops open until late, and the lighting of the illuminations, which in Aci Sant'Antonio aim to be among the largest in Sicily (in 2024, a twinning was established with Scorrano, in the province of Lecce, famous for its light displays).

Fireworks and processions

The festival blends religious observance with grand spectacle. On one hand, there is the solemn procession of the relics and the exit of the saint's fercolo with the candelore; on the other, the daytime and evening fireworks displays, the famous 'Incendio' di Palazzo Riggio (the 'Burning' of Palazzo Riggio), and, in recent editions, a drone show with a closing pyromusical display. Everything concludes with the Sicilian Cart Award.

An identity-defining event for the Etna region

More than just a simple village feast, 'A Festa Ranni' is a true call to the identity of Aci Sant'Antonio and one of the most deeply rooted popular manifestations on the Etna side of the island. Organized by the Saint Anthony the Abbot Festival Committee together with the parish, the Pro Loco, and the municipal administration, it showcases the heritage of traditions, crafts, and faith of this corner of Sicily for weeks.