Easter and Saint Gregory the Great Feast / Fera o Luni / Paternò Jousting Tournament

A festival that captures the soul of San Gregorio di Catania

In the heart of the Etna region, just a few kilometres from Catania, the town of San Gregorio di Catania dedicates Easter Monday to its patron saint, Saint Gregory the Great. It is the most anticipated day of the year, where the entire community gathers around a tradition that blends the sacred and the secular into one massive popular festival. The event is organised by the Municipality in collaboration with the Saint Gregory the Great Celebration Committee and the Pro San Gregorio Association.

The Fera o Luni, a centuries-old market

Everything begins at dawn, when blank cannon shots and festive bell-ringing announce the start of the celebrations. In the morning, the Fera o Luni (the "Easter Monday Fair") is inaugurated—a large traditional market held for over three centuries at Piano Immacolata. From the early hours, Sicilian farmers, breeders, and merchants gather to sell and trade livestock, agricultural tools, and local produce. Throughout the market, brass bands roam the city streets with their rich symphonic repertoire.

The Paternò Historical Pageant

The most scenic moment is the historical re-enactment that brings 16th-century traditions back to life, commemorating when representatives of the noble Massa family, Dukes of Paternò, symbolically offered the papal staff to the patron saint. Over 200 participants in lavish period costumes—including the Massa family, the Field Notary, the Greyhound Handler, ladies, armed knights, and vassals—parade with colourful banners, drum rolls, and trumpet fanfares toward the churchyard of the Immacolata, built on the original medieval site dedicated to Saint Gregory the Great. The procession is further enlivened by acrobats and flag-wavers.

The Paternò Jousting Tournament

Before sunset, participants and spectators move to the Piano Immacolata sports field for the Paternò Jousting Tournament: five knights, representing their respective town districts, compete in an equestrian tournament, attempting to knock down targets along the course with their lances. It is a display of skill and courage that thrills the crowd and determines the winning district.

The procession and fireworks

The festival concludes with a solemn procession of the statue of Saint Gregory the Great through the streets, accompanied by a musical fireworks display. In recent years, the festival has been enriched by gastronomic initiatives such as the "Delights of Sicily" food festival and "Crafts in Celebration and Street Food," offering local products and demonstrations of traditional arts. It is an event that encapsulates the identity of San Gregorio di Catania and the entire Etna area, drawing visitors from all over Sicily.