Commemoration of the Translation of the Relics of Saints Alfio, Filadelfo, and Cirino

A commemoration preserving the memory of the three martyr brothers

On September 2nd, the town of Lentini, located in the heart of eastern Sicily in the province of Syracuse, gathers around its Patron Saints Alfio, Filadelfo, and Cirino. The date is significant: it marks the translation of the relics of the three martyr brothers, which were solemnly brought back to the city on September 2, 1517. Since then, the local community has renewed this appointment every year, serving as a more intimate and devotional moment of the liturgical year, complementing the grand patronal feast in May.

The three Holy Martyrs of Lentini

According to hagiographic tradition, Alfio, Filadelfo, and Cirino were three brothers originally from Vaste, in Puglia, who were martyred in Lentini during the persecutions of the 3rd century. Their figure is venerated not only here but across an entire network of communities linked to their cult: Sant'Alfio (CT), San Fratello (ME), and Adrano (CT), as well as Sicilian diaspora communities in Australia and the United States. In Lentini, their cult is the cornerstone of the city's identity.

The meaning of the translation

The commemoration on September 2nd celebrates the return of the sacred relics to the city. For devotees, it is the day Lentini "re-embraces" its Martyrs: a moment of unity and faith that weaves together liturgy, history, and popular tradition. Unlike the May feast, marked by the spectacular rites of the vara and the run of the Nuri, the September recurrence has a more collected character, centered on the exposition of the relics and communal prayer.

How the day unfolds

• Exposition of the relics in the Sacred Heart of Jesus chapel, open for the veneration of the faithful.
• Holy masses celebrated throughout the day at the Mother Church, the former Cathedral of Sant'Alfio.
• Evening penitential procession "along the paths of martyrdom," with the reliquary casket and the bust of Sant'Alfio carried through the streets of the historic center.
• Cultural events: photographic and documentary exhibitions, screenings, and concerts, with the extraordinary opening of the churches in the center.

A community gathering

Organized by the Parish of Sant'Alfio together with the Festival Committee, the commemoration attracts both locals and devotees from neighboring towns in the provinces of Syracuse and Catania. For those visiting eastern Sicily in early September, it is an authentic opportunity to discover one of the island's most deep-rooted religious traditions, far from mass tourism circuits.