Feast of Saint Marina the Virgin of Termini and Saint Paulinus of Nola

A festival of faith and farming tradition

The Feast of Saint Marina the Virgin of Termini and Saint Paulinus of Nola is one of the most deeply rooted religious traditions in Termini Imerese, a town on the Tyrrhenian coast in the province of Palermo, Sicily. It is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of September, when the community honors two figures dear to local devotion: Saint Marina, co-patron of the city, and Saint Paulinus of Nola, protector of gardeners and cultivated lands.

The two saints and their bond with the land

Saint Marina, traditionally a virgin from Termini who lived in past centuries, is venerated as the protector of Termini Imerese: her intercession is linked in particular to the end of a severe cholera epidemic, which earned her the title of co-patron. Saint Paulinus of Nola, whose liturgical feast is June 22nd, is instead celebrated in Termini at the end of summer for purely agricultural reasons: in June, the jardinara—the vegetable farmers of the Piana di San Leonardo—were busy working in the fields and preferred to honor him later, once the harvest was safely gathered, joining him with the feast of Saint Marina.

The joint procession

The central moment is the procession that links the small country church in the Bragone district to the Piana di San Leonardo. The two statues are carried side-by-side through the countryside, accompanied by the faithful and the archpriest. At Cozzo Patara, a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the city, the statues are turned toward Termini Imerese as the traditional cannon blasts ring out: they announce that Saint Marina is blessing the city and Saint Paulinus is blessing the fields and the crops.

The blessings

The rite includes three blessings: the first over the city, entrusted to the protection of Saint Marina; the second over the lands and countryside of the Piana di San Leonardo, so that through the intercession of Saint Paulinus the earth may yield good fruits; and the third over those present. The procession then returns to the church, where the Eucharistic blessing concludes the day.

A popular tradition

• Festival held on the first Sunday of September, with events throughout the weekend
• Joint procession of the statues of Saint Marina and Saint Paulinus
• Cannon blasts from Cozzo Patara to bless the city and the fields
• Deep roots in the farming culture of the local jardinara

Alongside the religious rites, the weekend program traditionally offers entertainment and shows in the Santa Marina area, ranging from children's theater to evening cabaret, in a festive atmosphere that involves the entire community of Termini Imerese.