Feast of San Filippo d'Agira

A patronal feast in the Etna hinterland

The Feast of San Filippo d'Agira is the main religious and civil celebration of Aci San Filippo, a populous district of the municipality of Aci Catena, in the heart of the Province of Catania, Sicily. Every year, around May 12th, the entire community rallies around its patron saint in a festival that weaves together devotion, tradition, and local identity at the foot of the eastern slopes of Mount Etna.

San Filippo d'Agira, defender of Christians

San Filippo d'Agira is venerated throughout Eastern Sicily as a powerful miracle-worker, adversary of devils and defender of Christians. In Aci San Filippo, his figure is also linked to the memory of the 1818 earthquake, when the village remained miraculously unharmed: for this reason, in addition to the May festival, the Patronage is celebrated on February 20th as a sign of gratitude for the protection attributed to the Saint.

The Norman Basilica

The heart of the festival is the Basilica of San Filippo d'Agira, whose origins date back to the Norman era. Defined as Totius Acis Mater et Caput (Mother and Head of all Aci), it was the mother church of the Aci territory for centuries. The Greek-cross building features an imposing facade with sixteen Syracuse stone columns and an interior with three naves and twin Doric columns supporting a high dome. It houses the precious wooden statue of the Saint, kept in a gold-covered chapel.

Three days of celebrations

The festivities are traditionally spread over three days:

• Eve — Eucharistic celebration at the Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova and procession of the Saint's relic to the Basilica, passing through Via Croce and the Piano San Filippo;
• Solemnity — In the morning, the welcoming of the bishop, the evocative unveiling of the statue amidst hymns and firecrackers, and the solemn pontifical mass; in the afternoon, the civil ceremony with the laying of a laurel wreath at the War Memorial and the parade with the brass band; in the evening, the exit of the fercolo (processional float) and the procession through the town streets;
• Third day — The final evening procession of the statue, renewing the bond between the Saint and his community.

Traditional flavors

Devotion is accompanied by popular festivities, with stalls, music, and fireworks. Among the confectionery specialties linked to the event, the "a cuppulidda" stands out—a pastry with a characteristic rounded shape containing a heart of lemon marmalade, a tasty expression of local tradition.

An identity-defining event

More than just a religious anniversary, the Feast of San Filippo d'Agira is a moment of strong cohesion for Aci San Filippo and the entire Aci Catena community, where generations reunite around ancient rites, the band, processions, and fireworks that illuminate the sky of the Etna region.