Feast of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr

A patronal feast with ancient roots

The Feast of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr is the most anticipated event of the year in Aci Bonaccorsi, a small town in the Metropolitan City of Catania nestled on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna, in Sicily. Saint Stephen is the town's patron saint and is celebrated twice a year: on December 26th, the liturgical day, and—with the most solemn and spectacular celebration—in early August, commemorating the finding of the Protomartyr's relics. This summer edition, held on August 2nd and 3rd, is the highlight of the town's community life.

The two days of the summer feast

The eve of August 2nd opens with the traditional Cantata popolare, where hymns to Saint Stephen are sung on the church steps by choirs from the two historic districts, Battiati and Piazza. In the evening, the most famous event takes place: the National Fireworks Festival, a sort of "pyrotechnic Palio" where the two districts compete with dazzling light shows, attracting some of Italy's most prominent master pyrotechnicians to the town.

On August 3rd, the solemn day, the statue is unveiled in the morning and moved from the high altar. In the late afternoon, the artistic fercolo (processional float) carrying the statue of the Saint leaves the Mother Church dedicated to the Madonna dell'Indirizzo for a procession through the town streets, accompanied by spectacular fireworks. Around 10:00 PM, the evocative "trasuta a chiazza" takes place—the entrance of the float into the main square—before the procession continues through the Battiati district and concludes with the blessing of the relic.

The pyrotechnic tradition

Fireworks are the soul of the Aci Bonaccorsi festival. Their fame dates back to the immediate post-WWII period, when—starting in the late 1940s—celebrated national pyrotechnicians began performing during the festivities, elevating the event to a level of prestige now known well beyond regional borders.

The statue and the devotion

At the heart of the celebration is the exquisite 16th-century statue of the Saint, kept in the mother church and carried in procession on the artistic float. The entire community gathers around this image in a manifestation that weaves together faith, neighborhood identity, and popular spectacle, typical of the great patronal feasts of the Catania province and Sicilian tradition.