Saint Barbara Festival

A devotion rooted on the slopes of Mount Etna

The Saint Barbara Festival is one of the most heartfelt religious events in Tremestieri Etneo, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Catania, situated at an altitude of about 400 meters between Mount Etna and the Catania plain. Saint Barbara is the co-patron of the town, venerated alongside Our Lady of Peace, the main patron saint celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. The festival is held annually on December 4th, the date dedicated to the young martyr.

The Mother Church and the 17th-century statue

The heart of the festivities is the Mother Church, dedicated to Mary Most Holy of Peace, which stands on a small hill with a panoramic view of Mount Etna and the Catania plain. Rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, the church houses two artistic 17th-century wooden statues depicting Our Lady of Peace and Saint Barbara: it is the 17th-century statue of the Saint, along with the reliquary bust, that is carried in procession among the faithful.

The Eve: processions, flowers, and the Fire Brigade

Festivities begin in the preceding days with a triduum of prayer, the arrival of the reliquary bust from Paternò, and visits to nursing homes, parish communities, and schools. On the afternoon of the eve, the processional parade of parish communities winds its way from the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua along Via Etnea, reaching the Mother Church for the traditional offering of flowers and candles. This is followed by the exposition of the statue for veneration, Holy Mass, and the evocative evening procession with the relics, the blessing of the city, and the parade of Fire Brigade vehicles, of whom Saint Barbara is the patron.

December 4th: the solemn procession

On the solemn day, at the end of Mass, the float carrying the statue and relics is taken in an outdoor procession through the main streets of the town. Amidst the festive sound of bells and the tribute of the Fire Brigade, the float is pulled by ropes, accompanied by a brass band and numerous faithful. The procession stops in Piazza Municipio for a floral tribute by civil and military authorities, accompanied by a shower of petals and a fireworks display. The festival concludes with the Eucharistic celebration of the octave.

A highlight in the Etnean festival calendar

Included in the rich calendar of popular traditions of the province of Catania and Sicily, the Saint Barbara Festival of Tremestieri Etneo combines religiosity, community identity, and folklore. For those visiting the Mount Etna area during the Christmas season, it represents an authentic opportunity to experience local devotion and the atmosphere of an Etnean village in celebration.