Matri Aiutu Festival (Mary Help of Christians)

A devotion spanning nearly a century and a half

The Matri Aiutu Festival, dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, is one of the most deep-rooted events in the religious and civic life of Canicattini Bagni, a town on the Iblean plateau in the province of Syracuse, Sicily. The tradition dates back to 1886, when the then-parish priest Don Salvatore Bombaci introduced the cult of the Help of Christians in the church that locals affectionately call "u Santuzzu" on Via Umberto. Since then, every year around May 24th—the day the Church celebrates Mary Help of Christians—the community gathers around its "Mother of Help," invoked as a protector and comforter.

The heart of the festival: dawn wake-up, exit, and procession

The festivities begin with the novena and celebrations that also involve the town's schools and children. On the day of the festival, the alborata (dawn wake-up) announces the solemnity at sunrise with festive bell ringing and blank cannon shots. In the evening, after the solemn mass on the churchyard, the most anticipated moment takes place: the "triumphant sciuta", the exit of the statue of Mary Help of Christians, greeted by the throwing of leaflets, traditional "nzareddi" (colored ribbons), balloons, and rose petals, accompanied by the town band.

This is followed by a procession through the main streets of the town center, with the participation of religious, civil, and military authorities, festival committees, associations, and the faithful. The day concludes with a fireworks display, in recent years entrusted to "Fuochi Chiarenza & Figli" from Belpasso, which lights up the sky over the Iblean plateau.

The Octave

The devotion does not end on the day of the festival: for the entire following week, the octave is celebrated with daily masses animated by various parish associations, concluding with a final procession and the act of entrustment.

An identity heritage for Canicattini

More than just a religious recurrence, the Matri Aiutu Festival is a defining event for Canicattini Bagni: it binds generations, calls back emigrants and the many locals who return to town for the occasion, and preserves a heritage of Iblean popular traditions made of music, devotion, and street celebrations. The Municipality has supported the festivities for years, recognizing their cultural value and social cohesion for the community.