Festival of Saint Maurus the Abbot – 'A Fera

The longest patronal festival in the Madonie

In the heart of the Madonie mountains, perched at over a thousand meters above sea level in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the village of San Mauro Castelverde celebrates its patron saint every summer: Saint Maurus the Abbot, from whom the town takes its name. The festivities, known to everyone as 'A Fera, hold the record for the longest patronal festival in the entire Madonie area: a dense calendar of rites and events spanning several days, from the weekend before the first Tuesday of July until the following Sunday, known as the Octave.

Why it is called 'A Fera

The dialect name 'A Fera (the fair) recalls that, in ancient times, the patronal festival coincided with a large livestock fair: merchants and breeders would climb up to the village to trade animals while the community honored its protector. Devotion to Saint Maurus the Abbot was originally celebrated on January 15th, but the harsh Madonie winter climate led to the festivities being moved to early July over the centuries, when the village fills with returning emigrants and visitors.

The 1650 vara

The true heart of the festival is the fèrcolo (the vara), a heavy and majestic processional machine with eight helical columns, commissioned in 1650 by the charcoal burners' guild. It is adorned with twelve cherubs and a statuette of the Immaculate Conception, with the statue of Saint Maurus the Abbot seated on a throne in the center. During the four days of the festival, the float is decorated with wheat stalks and carried on the shoulders of about forty men, assisted by guides, through the narrow streets of the historic center. The saint is moved from his own church to the Mother Church of San Giorgio and accompanied by confraternities in ancient costumes, the brass band, and a crowd of faithful.

Rites, processions, and shows

The program alternates moments of devotion—solemn processions, outdoor masses, the historical re-enactment of the eve with the Knights of Saint Maurus—with evening entertainment that enlivens Piano San Mauro: concerts, square shows, symphonic band performances, and family-friendly moments. The ancient custom of the confreres distributing cuccìa to the poor also survives, a sign of the communal and solidarity-driven dimension of the festival.

The Octave and the blessing of the countryside

The festivities conclude with the Octave of 'A Fera on the following Sunday: an evening procession leaves the Church of San Giorgio and reaches Piano San Mauro, where the evocative blessing of the fields takes place, directed toward the four cardinal points to protect the crops and the territory. It is the moment most felt by the community, which indissolubly links faith to the work of the land in this corner of the Palermo Madonie.