Historical Magi Parade of Aci Platani

A sacred pageant that traverses the village

The Historical Magi Parade of Aci Platani is one of the most beloved religious and folk events of the Christmas season in the municipality of Acireale, in the province of Catania. It takes place every year on January 6th, the day of the Epiphany, in the village of Aci Platani, where the streets and squares become an open-air theater for a grand historical-religious equestrian procession.

The history of salvation in costume

The heart of the event is a true traveling sacred pageant. Over 250 participants in period costumes, accompanied by caparisoned horses and other animals, bring to life the great biblical episodes of the history of salvation: from the creation of the world to original sin, from Cain and Abel to Moses and the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, up to the oracles of the prophets announcing the Messiah. The route culminates with the birth of the Baby Jesus and the arrival of the three Magi on horseback, who lay their traditional gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—before the Holy Family.

The procession and the route

On the morning of January 6th, the procession winds through the village streets: after reaching the small church of La Pietà, it descends along Via Vittorio Emanuele III to arrive at Piazza IV Settembre, in front of the mother church dedicated to Santa Maria del Monte Carmelo, where the living nativity scene is set up and the final performance takes place. The horses and riders are traditionally provided by the Scuderia Nicotra, while the sumptuous costumes are handmade by local seamstresses in an authentic community effort.

A village tradition

The event was born in the late 1980s thanks to the Mons. A. Calabretta Cultural Association, which still organizes it today with the patronage of the Municipality of Acireale. Over the years, the parade has grown to become one of the most anticipated appointments in the local Christmas calendar, capable of attracting spectators to Aci Platani from the entire Acireale district and the province of Catania. It is an event that blends popular devotion, biblical memory, and equestrian spectacle, a living expression of the traditions of Eastern Sicily.

An event for the whole family

• Historical equestrian procession with over 250 costumed participants
• Living tableaux reconstructing biblical episodes
• Living nativity scene on the parvis of the mother church
• Arrival of the Magi on horseback with the offering of gifts
• Free admission, suitable for families and children