Feast of Maria SS. della Catena

A patronal feast between faith and tradition

The Feast of Maria SS. della Catena is the most anticipated event of the year in Scillato, a town of about five hundred inhabitants located in the heart of the Madonie Park, in the province of Palermo, about sixty kilometers from the Sicilian capital. Every August 20th, the entire community gathers around its patron saint in a celebration that weaves together liturgy, folklore, and the town's identity.

The daily program

The festivities begin at dawn with the traditional alborata, a burst of firecrackers that announces the feast day and wakes the Madonie village. In the morning, the most symbolic gesture of the day takes place: the mayor hands over the town's keys to the Patron Saint, ideally entrusting Scillato to the protection of the Madonna. This is followed by a Solemn Mass, attended by civil and military authorities.

In the late afternoon, the procession takes place, the central moment of the celebrations: the statue of the Madonna, adorned with flowers and ex-votos donated by the faithful for graces received, is lifted onto the shoulders of the bearers and carried in triumph along the characteristic streets of the historic center. Mayors from neighboring towns also take part in the procession with their respective banners. Upon the return of the statue to the church, the day concludes with a fireworks display at the urban park.

The sanctuary and the Gagini statue

The religious heart of the feast is the Sanctuary of Maria SS. della Catena, in Piazza Giovanni XXIII, built around 1500 when the territory belonged to the Spanish Crown. Inside, it houses the exquisite marble statue of the Madonna, attributed to the Gagini school, depicting the Virgin holding a pomegranate and a chain, with the Child on her left arm. During the 2000 Jubilee, the mother church was elevated to the rank of Sanctuary by the Bishop of Cefalù, confirming the community's deep Marian devotion.

Scillato, the town of water

Visiting Scillato during the feast is also an opportunity to discover a village with a surprising heritage. Known as one of the richest towns in water in Sicily, it is fed by springs originating in the Madonie mountains—Agnello, Calabria, and Golfone—which have supplied much of the province of Palermo since the early 20th century. The history of the town, linked since 1156 to its ancient water mills, provides a natural backdrop for a feast that preserves the most authentic soul of Sicilian popular tradition.