Festival of Saints Alfio, Filadelfo and Cirino

A patronal festival at the foot of Mount Etna

The Festival of Saints Alfio, Filadelfo and Cirino is the heart of community life in Sant'Alfio, a small town in the province of Catania perched at an altitude of about 550 meters on the eastern side of Mount Etna, "straddling the mountain and the sea." Every year, on the first Sunday of May, the village gathers around its three patrons, the martyr brothers who give the town its name. The devotion to these three young Christians, who according to tradition were brought to Sicily and martyred in Lentini, has been rooted for centuries throughout the Etna region, making this event a highly anticipated occasion for both the faithful and visitors.

The Dera: the bonfires of the eve

The most evocative and defining element of the festival is the Dera, an ancient popular illumination. On the Thursday and Friday evenings preceding the Sunday of the feast, bonfires fueled by resinous wood, 'a dera, harvested from Etna's pine trees, are lit in front of every house entrance. The flames that illuminate the streets and squares of the historic center recall the passage of the three Saints as they were led to martyrdom, transforming the village into a setting of great charm, filled with warmth, the scent of resin, and deep reflection.

The day of the feast

The Sunday of the feast opens with the solemn Sung Mass, celebrated in the morning at the Mother Church, which is decorated for the occasion with precious vestments. In the afternoon, around 3:00 PM, preparations begin to lower the statues of the Saints onto the Vara, the processional float. At 4:00 PM, the Vara makes its triumphant exit from the church's central door: the appearance of the three martyr brothers is greeted by the festive ringing of bells, the firing of mortars, and the spontaneous singing of the Cantata, the traditional hymn to the Saints that the crowd performs with great emotion. A long procession through the village streets follows, with fireworks marking the conclusion of the festivities.

Tradition and community

The festivities officially begin on the last Sunday of April, announced by the arrival of the marching band in the square, the joyful sound of bells, and the firing of a hundred cannon shots, continuing until the second Sunday of May. The festival is organized by the local community with the support of the Municipality and the Parish, following a ceremonial handed down from generation to generation and jealously guarded by the inhabitants.

Sant'Alfio and the Chestnut Tree of the Hundred Horses

A visit to the village offers the opportunity to discover one of Sicily's natural treasures: the famous Chestnut Tree of the Hundred Horses, considered the oldest and largest tree in Europe, with an estimated age between 2,000 and 4,000 years. According to legend, a queen and her retinue of one hundred knights found shelter under its immense canopy during a sudden thunderstorm. Located within the Etna Park, the monumental chestnut tree makes Sant'Alfio a destination that combines popular faith, tradition, and pristine nature.