Festa Grande of Sant'Antonio Abate

One of Eastern Sicily's most beloved patronal festivals

The Festa Grande of Sant'Antonio Abate is the pinnacle of popular devotion in Misterbianco, a town in the Metropolitan City of Catania, nestled on the slopes of Mount Etna. This triennial celebration takes place over several days around the first Sunday of August, from Thursday to Monday, transforming the entire historic center into a grand stage for faith, art, and Sicilian tradition.

The four votive candles

The most iconic symbols of the festival are the four artistic votive candles—imposing, gilded, hand-carved wooden candelabras that can reach five meters in height and are carried on shoulders through the town streets. Each candle represents a historic social guild of Misterbianco:

• Carrettieri e Camionisti (Carters and Truckers, 1865), the oldest and smallest;
• Vigneri (Vineyard Workers, 1875), with a distinctive candelabra shape;
• Pastori (Shepherds, 1909), the heaviest, decorated with scenes from the Saint's life;
• Maestri (Craftsmen, 1910), in a refined Art Nouveau style.

The four districts and the 'cantate'

The community of Misterbianco is traditionally organized into four "parties" or districts, each linked to a church and its own devotional hymn, the famous Cantata to Saint Anthony: San Nicolò, Sant'Orsola, the Mother Church, and Sant'Angela Merici. During the festival, accompanied by the "Città di Misterbianco" band, devotees perform these hymns in Piazza della Repubblica in an atmosphere of intense collective participation.

History and tradition

The roots of this devotion date back to the 17th century: the church of San Nicola has housed a relic of the Saint—an arm encased in a silver reliquary—since the 1600s, with its public display authorized in 1615. The current format of the Festa Grande, with its triennial cycle, is rooted in 20th-century local tradition. Today, the festival is inscribed in the Register of Intangible Heritage of the Sicily Region (REIS), a testament to its cultural value.

The festival program

The days are marked by highly anticipated moments: Thursday features the exit of the candles from their respective churches; Friday is dedicated to candle processions and dances in Piazza della Repubblica; Saturday, the eve of the main feast, hosts the spectacular Festa del Fuoco, with grand fireworks at the "Quattro Canti" accompanying the candles' entrance; Sunday is the day of the solemn procession of the statue of Sant'Antonio Abate through the town; Monday concludes the festivities.

When it takes place

As a triennial event, each edition is an exceptional occasion that draws emigrants and visitors back to town. The last Festa Grande was held from July 12 to August 4, 2025; the next solemn edition is expected around 2028, always spanning the first Sunday of August.