Festino di San Silvestro Monaco (Festa dei Rami, Ddarata, Kubbaita, Vara)

One of the most heartfelt patronal festivals in the Nebrodi

The Festino di San Silvestro Monaco is the grand patronal festival of Troina, an ancient village perched at over 1,100 meters in the Nebrodi mountains, in the heart of the province of Enna, Sicily. Dedicated to Saint Sylvester, a Basilian monk who lived between the 11th and 12th centuries and is the town's patron, the festival is not a single event but an elaborate cycle of celebrations spanning late May and early June, involving the entire community in a blend of devotion, folklore, and historical memory.

The Festa dei Rami

The cycle begins with the evocative Festa dei Rami (Festival of the Branches). In the days leading up to the penultimate Sunday of May, devotees known as ramara set out on foot for a nocturnal pilgrimage into the Nebrodi woods, reaching the sacred forest of Anghira di Faccilonga to gather laurel branches as the fulfillment of a vow, whether for a grace received or requested. Upon their return on Sunday morning, they parade through the town streets carrying wooden poles decorated with laurel, flowers, and sacred images, in a procession that combines physical endurance, faith, and popular joy.

The Ddarata and the Kubbaita

The last weekend of May features the Festa della Ddarata: a pilgrimage characterized by beautifully caparisoned horses and mules laden with laurel, which concludes with the "delivery of the journey" at the Church of San Silvestro. This is followed by the Kubbaita, a historical pageant where riders in 16th-century Spanish-style costumes ride through the historic center to Piazza Conte Ruggero, distributing sugared almonds and sweets. The re-enactment recalls the entry of Emperor Charles V into Troina in 1535; the term kubbaita, of Arabic origin, refers to almond nougat.

The Procession of the Vara

The climax is the Uscita della Vara: during the weekend between late May and early June, the precious 18th-century gilded fercolo (processional float) carrying the silver effigy of the Saint is taken in a solemn procession from the Mother Church to the church dedicated to him, moving through the town amidst fireworks, brass bands, and the emotional participation of the faithful.

Tradition, Gastronomy, and Identity

The religious cycle is accompanied by the traditional San Silvestro Fair and culinary events, featuring local rural specialties such as vastedda cu sammucu (elderflower focaccia) and nfasciateddi. For the Municipality of Troina and the entire Nebrodi area, the Festino represents much more than a party: it is a moment of collective recognition of the most authentic values of their land, attracting emigrants and visitors every year. Saint Sylvester is also celebrated in September with the so-called "Festino settembrino" and the liturgical feast on January 2nd.