Feast of the Madonna della Catena (May)

A votive feast born from a miracle

The Feast of the Madonna della Catena in May is one of the most deeply felt religious celebrations in the Alcantara Valley, in the Municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia, in the province of Catania. It is a so-called votive feast, distinct from the main patronal feast held in August. Its origins date back to 1809, when a violent lava flow from Mount Etna threatened the Castiglione territory: the community, believing they were saved through the intercession of the Madonna della Catena, made a solemn vow to celebrate her every year with fasting and festivities. The feast, initially set for the first Sunday after Easter, has been held on the first Sunday of May since 1848.

The statue of the Gagini school

The star of the feast is the exquisite white marble statue of the Virgin, a work attributed to the famous Gagini school and traditionally linked to Giacomo Gagini. The statue, weighing about seven quintals, is kept all year round in the Basilica of the Madonna della Catena, in Piazza Lauria, which was elevated to a minor basilica in 1986. During the feast days, the statue becomes the center of popular devotion, adorned and carried in procession through the historic streets of the village.

Pilgrimage and procession

The most evocative moment is the votive pilgrimage: already in the days leading up to it, devotees from Francavilla di Sicilia, Moio Alcantara, and the hamlets of Castiglione reach the sanctuary on foot to honor the patron saint. On Sunday, solemn masses are celebrated, followed by the procession of the statue, accompanied by historic local confraternities, which winds through the characteristic stone alleys of the medieval village. The grand procession with the marble statue traditionally takes place on the most solemn occasions.

Village, tradition, and hospitality

The feast is also an opportunity to discover Castiglione di Sicilia, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, with its maze of narrow streets, ancient churches, and views over Mount Etna and the Alcantara. For Castiglione emigrants, the first Sunday of May is often a time to return to their roots. Between faith, community identity, and Sicilian hospitality, the Feast of the Madonna della Catena remains an event deeply rooted in the life of the town and the entire Sicilian Region.