Feast of San Felice da Nicosia (Co-Patron Saint)

The feast of Nicosia's co-patron saint

On the last Sunday of August, the town of Nicosia, nestled in the heart of the Nebrodi mountains and the Enna province in Sicily, pays tribute to San Felice da Nicosia, a Capuchin friar and co-patron of the city. The Feast of San Felice is one of the most deeply felt religious celebrations for the local community, drawing faithful, returning emigrants, and visitors alike into a tapestry of faith, memory, and popular tradition.

Who was San Felice

Born in Nicosia in 1715 as Filippo Giacomo Amoroso and passing away in 1787, San Felice joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin after the death of his parents, spending most of his life in the city's convent. A humble mendicant, he dedicated his life to charity for the poor and the sick. Beatified in 2005, he is venerated as the co-patron of Nicosia; the 2025 festival held special significance, marking the twentieth anniversary of that recognition.

The procession

The highlight is the solemn procession held on Sunday afternoon. The statue of the saint, carried on the shoulders of members of the Fraternitas San Felice da Nicosia, departs from the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, the convent church of the Capuchins, and travels through the streets of the historic center to the Cathedral. The procession is accompanied by Capuchin friars, the Bersaglieri, a marching band, and civil and military authorities, with stops for prayer along the route, including one at the Basilotta Hospital.

A week of festivities

The celebration extends well beyond the day of the procession: the entire preceding week is marked by religious and secular events that create a true communal moment for the city. Recurring initiatives include:

• liturgical celebrations, prayer sessions, and conferences dedicated to the figure of the saint and the history of the Capuchins;
• concerts, musical performances, and shows in the town's squares (Piazza Garibaldi, Piazza San Francesco di Paola, Piazzetta San Calogero);
• convivial evenings, sports tournaments, and the traditional pilgrimage on horseback;
• spectacular fireworks to close the festivities.

A defining local event

Organized by the Friars Minor Capuchin together with the Municipality of Nicosia and with the support of city authorities, the Feast of San Felice is a deeply defining event for Nicosia and the entire Nebrodi area. For those visiting inland Sicily in August, it is an opportunity to discover a village rich in history and monumental churches and to experience authentic popular devotion firsthand.