Feast of San Gerlando
The feast of the Patron Saint of Agrigento, in the heart of the Valley of the Temples
About San Gerlando
The Patron Saint of Agrigento
The Feast of San Gerlando is the most important patronal celebration in the municipality of Agrigento, Sicily. It is held annually around February 25th, the anniversary of the Saint's death, which occurred around 1100. San Gerlando was a bishop of Norman origin, called to Sicily by the Great Count Roger and consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1099. He is credited with reorganizing the Agrigento diocese and initiating the construction of the Cathedral, which bears his name today and dominates the city's ancient hill.
The silver urn and the relics
The heart of the festival is the veneration of the silver urn that houses the Patron Saint's relics. The monumental silver casket, commissioned in 1635 from the Palermo silversmith Michele Ricca, was recently restored following the sacrilegious thefts suffered in the 1970s and 80s and has been returned to the worship of the faithful. Alongside the urn, the procession of the reliquary bust travels through the city streets, accompanied by the confraternities of the Archdiocese.
A week of celebrations
The festivities span several days, intertwining liturgy with neighborhood life. Traditional highlights include:
- the procession of the reliquary bust through the parish streets;
- the peregrinatio of the bust to the community of Palma di Montechiaro;
- the First Vespers presided over by the Archbishop of Agrigento;
- the solemn pontifical mass on February 25th, featuring the characteristic rite of the oil offering for the Saint's lamp;
- cultural events such as photography exhibitions and book presentations at the Archbishop's Palace.
Devotion and identity
The Feast of San Gerlando is not merely a religious appointment: it is a moment of strong cohesion for the entire community of Agrigento and its diocese. Confraternities, parishes, and the faithful gather around the figure of the bishop who, according to tradition, was able to reconvert the city with preaching described as sweet as honey. The festival thus weaves the historical memory of Norman Sicily with a still-vibrant popular devotion, in a city world-renowned for its Valley of the Temples.
San Gerlando — edition 2026
The 2026 edition opens on Wednesday, February 18th, Ash Wednesday, with a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral presided over by Archbishop Alessandro Damiano. The following days alternate between adoration, Stations of the Cross, and cultural events, including the Imago Sanctitatis photography exhibition dedicated to historical images of the urn.
On February 21st, the procession of the reliquary bust takes place through the parish streets, followed by the Neighborhood Festival event; on February 22nd, the reliquary bust reaches the community of Palma di Montechiaro in a peregrinatio. On February 24th, the First Vespers are presided over by Archbishop Damiano.
The main day, Wednesday, February 25th, includes three moments in the Cathedral: the morning Eucharistic celebration, the liturgy dedicated to catechism children, and, at 6:00 PM, the solemn pontifical mass presided over by Monsignor Gualtiero Isacchi, Archbishop of Monreale, with the traditional rite of the oil offering by the community of Palma di Montechiaro.
Programme San Gerlando 2026
- Wed, Feb 18 – 7:00 PM: Solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral (Archbishop A. Damiano)
- Thu, Feb 19 – 7:00 PM: Adoration at the Church of Santa Maria dei Greci
- Fri, Feb 20 – 6:00 PM: Stations of the Cross in the Cathedral; 7:00 PM: Inauguration of the "Imago Sanctitatis" photography exhibition
- Sat, Feb 21 – 5:30 PM: Procession of the reliquary bust; 7:00 PM: Eucharistic celebration; 8:30 PM: "Neighborhood Festival" on Via Arco Dispoto
- Sun, Feb 22 – 6:00 PM: Peregrinatio of the reliquary bust to Palma di Montechiaro
- Mon, Feb 23 – 5:00 PM: Rite of the Anointing of the Sick; 6:00 PM: Book presentation at the Archbishop's Palace
- Tue, Feb 24 – 7:00 PM: First Vespers (Archbishop A. Damiano)
- Wed, Feb 25 – 10:00 AM: Eucharistic celebration; 11:00 AM: Liturgy for catechism children; 6:00 PM: Solemn pontifical mass (Monsignor Gualtiero Isacchi, Archbishop of Monreale) with oil offering
Highlights San Gerlando 2026
- Solemn pontifical mass on February 25th with the oil offering rite
- Procession of the reliquary bust of San Gerlando
- Veneration of the restored silver urn
- "Imago Sanctitatis" photography exhibition
- Peregrinatio to Palma di Montechiaro
Prices San Gerlando 2026
Practical information — San Gerlando
Where
Celebrations take place mainly in the Cathedral of San Gerlando, on the ancient hill of Agrigento, and in the streets of the historic center.
How to get there
By train: Agrigento Centrale station, connected to Palermo and Caltanissetta. By car: from the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway, take the Caltanissetta exit, then the SS640 to Agrigento. By plane: Palermo Falcone-Borsellino airport (approx. 130 km) or Catania Fontanarossa airport (approx. 160 km).
Admission
Liturgical celebrations and processions are free and open to everyone.
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Where does it take place — San Gerlando
Cattedrale di San Gerlando
Piazza Don Minzoni, 92100 Agrigento