Feast of the Patron Saints San Prospero Martire and Maria SS. delle Grazie

The patronal feast of Catenanuova

The Feast of the Patron Saints San Prospero Martire and Maria SS. delle Grazie is the most important and anticipated event of the year for Catenanuova, a small town in the province of Enna, in the heart of Sicily. The festivities are spread across the last two Sundays of September: the penultimate Sunday is dedicated to Maria SS. delle Grazie, while the last is dedicated to San Prospero Martire, the town's main patron. The following Monday, the traditional San Prospero Fair takes place.

A tradition dating back to 1752

San Prospero was proclaimed patron of Catenanuova on July 27, 1752, by the will of Prince Andrea Riggio, the city's founder. The martyr, who lived in the early centuries of Christianity and was buried in the Catacombs of San Callisto in Rome, is venerated alongside Maria SS. delle Grazie, the community's co-patron. For nearly three centuries, the festival has defined the town's identity, which proudly maintains its rural roots: Catenanuova is, in fact, known as the "City of Grain".

Processions and 18th-century statues

The heart of the festival lies in the two solemn processions. On the evening of the penultimate Sunday, around 8:00 PM, after Holy Mass, the precious 18th-century wooden statue of Maria SS. delle Grazie emerges, adorned with gifts and votive offerings accumulated over the centuries. The simulacrum travels through the main streets accompanied by a brass band, local authorities, and a crowd of faithful, amidst fireworks. On the final Sunday, around 6:30 PM, it is the turn of the 18th-century simulacrum of San Prospero, which travels from the mother church to the southern part of the town, where a pyrotechnic display takes place.

Shows, lights, and the Fair

Beyond its religious dimension, the festival offers a rich program of popular events. Between the two Sundays, the historic center dresses up for the occasion: streets are illuminated, and the main square hosts concerts, cabaret shows, and musical evenings with guest artists, while stalls selling sweets, rides, and stands fill the squares. The highlight is the grand evening concert on the final Sunday. Monday morning marks the opening of the San Prospero Fair, an ancient market that enlivens the town from dawn until dusk with all kinds of goods.

An event to experience in Sicily

The Catenanuova festival is an authentic opportunity to discover inland Sicily, far from the most beaten tourist paths. Devotion, fireworks, music, and the warm atmosphere of a community gathering around its saints make this recurrence an intense and genuine experience in the Sicily Region.