Feast of San Nicasio — Principal Patron Saint of Caccamo (August Fair)

San Nicasio, the patron saint who saved Caccamo from the plague

In the heart of the province of Palermo, perched at an altitude of 521 meters at the foot of an imposing Norman castle, the village of Caccamo dedicates its most cherished festival to its principal patron, San Nicasio the Martyr. This devotion is rooted in the 17th century: the Saint's relic was moved from the Cathedral of Palermo to Caccamo on August 29, 1604, and the community has been linked to this figure ever since. San Nicasio is invoked as a protector against epidemics, in gratitude for the deliverance from the plague—traditionally attributed to his intercession—in 1575 and 1624. Following the 1624 plague, the Saint was officially named the city's patron on May 31, 1625.

When the festival takes place

The event does not have a fixed date: it is celebrated on the last Sunday of August and the following Monday. For this reason, it is popularly known as the August Fair, and each edition carries the progressive number of years since the translation of the relic. An octave of prayers, including the rosary and evening mass, prepares the town for the solemn days.

The days of the festival

The week preceding the feast is marked by events that blend religious devotion with community spirit: the day dedicated to youth with a treasure hunt and catechesis under the stars, the Day of the Sick with visits to the relic and the anointing of the infirm, the Eucharistic Day with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the evocative evening torchlight procession, and the floral tribute by the bearers on the eve of the feast.

The procession and the August Fair

The highlight is the solemn procession of the Saint's reliquary statue, which winds through the main streets of the festively illuminated historic center. Tradition dictates that the procession stops at the two ancient city gates so that San Nicasio may protect the town from evil, with the participation of civil and religious authorities and thousands of the faithful. The event concludes with a fireworks display lighting up the sky over Caccamo. Alongside the religious celebrations, the August Fair brings the town to life with music, entertainment, and the atmosphere typical of great Sicilian patronal festivals.

Caccamo, jewel of the Madonie

Visiting the festival is also an opportunity to discover one of the most fascinating villages in the province of Palermo, in Sicily: the majestic castle, one of the largest medieval fortresses on the island, and the more than thirty churches scattered throughout the area make Caccamo a destination rich in history and art.