Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (Apparition)

The Feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel in Acireale

In the heart of the San Michele district in Acireale, in the province of Catania, one of the most deeply felt local traditions is renewed every year on May 8th: the Feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel. The date commemorates the second appearance of the Archangel on Mount Gargano, in Puglia, near the village of Monte Sant'Angelo: an event that tradition calls the 'Victory', testifying to Saint Michael's role as the prince of the heavenly hosts and defender of the Christian people.

A co-patron of the city

Saint Michael the Archangel is one of the co-patrons of Acireale, and his veneration is rooted in centuries of history. The precious statue depicting him in the act of defeating the devil was carved by a Messinese artist between 1671 and 1679 and carried in procession through the streets of Acireale for the first time in 1681, following a decree issued on June 17th by the Bishop of Catania, Monsignor Bonadies. The statue, recently restored, is now kept in the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, an 18th-century building erected based on the design of architect Stefano Ittar after the 1693 earthquake, on the site where a 16th-century chapel once stood.

Two feasts in one year

The community of the San Michele Arcangelo parish, established in 1921 in Piazza San Michele, celebrates its patron twice a year. The main, solemn outdoor feast falls on September 29th, with the grand procession of the 17th-century wooden statue through the streets of the district. The May 8th feast, however, is a more intimate, liturgical occasion dedicated to the memory of the Gargano apparition: the statue is unveiled and remains exposed all day for the veneration of the faithful, before being veiled again in its chapel at the end of the solemn evening Mass.

Devotion and the Congregation

The celebrations are organized every year by the historic Congregation of Saint Michael, which oversees the liturgy and the care of the statue. On May 8th, the day opens with the 'unveiling' of the statue to the singing of the hymn to the Archangel, a moment eagerly awaited by the devotees of the district and the entire city of Acireale. The occasion, while lacking the spectacle of the September procession, preserves the spiritual and identity-defining value that has linked the Acireale community to its Archangel for centuries.