Festival of the Madonna degli Ammalati (SS. Maria degli Ammalati)

A festival born from the fire of Etna

The Festival of the Madonna degli Ammalati, also known as the feast of SS. Maria degli Ammalati, is the most deeply felt religious celebration in Misterbianco, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily. Its origins are linked to one of the most dramatic events in local history: the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna, which overwhelmed and destroyed the ancient settlement of Monasterium Album. According to tradition, a small rural chapel and the sacred image of the Virgin survived the lava flow, becoming the symbol of the community's rebirth.

The sanctuary and the community's memory

The heart of the festival is the Sanctuary of the Madonna degli Ammalati, located in the open countryside about four kilometers from the current town center, near the ruins of the ancient church—an area now known as Campanarazzu. Traveling up there, along the Via Madonna degli Ammalati, is for the people of Misterbianco both an act of devotion and a return to their roots: the site represents the resilience of a town rebuilt after the catastrophe.

The journey of the bell and the Cantata

Among the most characteristic rites is the journey of the bell (the viaggiu): on Thursday evening, the bell is transported from the Mother Church to the Church of San Nicolò, while on Friday, before dawn, a procession of the faithful accompanies it to the sanctuary. The bell is the only object that, according to popular memory, was saved during the flight from the fire of Etna and hung from an olive tree, still remembered today as the aliva 'mpiccata. A moment of intense participation is the Cantata, an ancient hymn to the Virgin sung by the faithful both at the sanctuary and during the evening procession.

Between devotion and popular celebration

The festival, which takes place on the second Sunday of September, alternates liturgical moments with civil celebrations. On Sunday, the solemn city procession carries the painting of the Virgin in triumph through the streets of the town. Alongside the religious rites, the program offers shows, music, tastings of seasoned bread, wines, and craft beers, and a popular street food event along Via Madonna degli Ammalati, which enlivens the evenings until late at night and attracts visitors from all over the Catania area.

An identity heritage

More than just a religious recurrence, the Festival of the Madonna degli Ammalati is an identity heritage that intertwines faith, history, and popular traditions. For Misterbianco, it represents the occasion when the entire community gathers around its Patroness, safeguarding a centuries-old memory that has continued to renew itself from generation to generation since 1669, at the foot of Mount Etna.