Saint Joseph Festival
Petrosino's devotion and the ancient Ammitu rite, from March 14th to 19th
About Saint Joseph Petrosino
A festival in the heart of Petrosino
The Saint Joseph Festival is one of the most anticipated and well-attended events in Petrosino, a small town in the Province of Trapani, in western Sicily, just a few kilometers from Marsala. Every year, during the week leading up to March 19th, the entire community gathers around the figure of Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and protector of families and workers, in a celebration that blends religious devotion, popular tradition, and cultural identity.
The Ammitu of Saint Joseph
The symbolic heart of the festival is the rite of the Ammitu di San Giuseppe (the 'Invitation'), a tradition deeply rooted in Sicilian popular culture that commemorates hospitality and the sharing of food in honor of the Saint. It is a gesture that speaks of solidarity and devotion passed down from generation to generation: families and committees set up richly decorated votive altars, while the blessing of the food and the Invitation of Saint Joseph accompany the evocative washing of the Holy Family's hands, a rite with a profound meaning that recalls the value of serving others.
The places of the celebration
The ceremonies take place mainly between the Church-Rectory of Saint Joseph and the Mother Church of Petrosino. Throughout the week, moments of prayer and liturgical celebrations alternate: the Holy Rosary, Holy Masses, the Stations of the Cross through the city streets, and visits to the votive altar, leading up to the solemn day of March 19th.
The procession of March 19th
The highlight is the solemn procession of the statue of Saint Joseph, which on the evening of March 19th travels through the streets of Petrosino, starting from the Mother Church to reach the Church of Saint Joseph. In the morning, festive bell ringing announces the day and calls the faithful, in an atmosphere that blends spiritual reflection and community warmth.
A living tradition
Organized by the Saint Joseph Church Rectory Committee together with the Municipality of Petrosino, the parish, and numerous local volunteers and associations, the festival represents an important expression of faith and local identity for the Petrosino community, an appointment that renews the bond between the inhabitants and their roots every year.
Saint Joseph Petrosino — edition 2026
Program of the 2026 edition
The festivities opened on Friday, March 14th: from 5:00 PM, Holy Rosary, Holy Mass, blessing of the altar, and Stations of the Cross through the city streets.
Saturday, March 15th, from 5:00 PM, Holy Rosary, welcoming of the Holy Family, and Holy Mass.
Sunday, March 16th: Holy Mass at 9:30 AM in the Mother Church; at 11:00 AM, welcoming of the Holy Family; at 3:30 PM at the Church of Saint Joseph, the blessing of the food and the Invitation of Saint Joseph, with the rite of the washing of the Holy Family's hands; at 6:30 PM, Holy Mass.
Monday, March 17th and Tuesday, March 18th: visit to the votive altar (10:30 AM - 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM), Holy Rosary, and evening Holy Mass from 5:00 PM.
Wednesday, March 19th: at 8:00 AM, festive bell ringing; at 10:30 AM, Holy Rosary and Holy Mass at the Church of Saint Joseph; at 5:30 PM, Holy Rosary in the Mother Church; at 7:30 PM, solemn procession of the statue of Saint Joseph from the Mother Church to the Church of Saint Joseph.
Programme Saint Joseph Petrosino 2026
Friday, March 14th
- 17:00 — Holy Rosary, Holy Mass, blessing of the altar, and Stations of the Cross through the city streets
Saturday, March 15th
- 17:00 — Holy Rosary, welcoming of the Holy Family, and Holy Mass
Sunday, March 16th
- 09:30 — Holy Mass in the Mother Church
- 11:00 — Welcoming of the Holy Family
- 15:30 — Blessing of the food and Invitation of Saint Joseph, with the washing of the Holy Family's hands (Church of Saint Joseph)
- 18:30 — Holy Mass
Monday, March 17th and Tuesday, March 18th
- 10:30-12:30 and 16:00-17:00 — Visit to the votive altar
- 17:00 — Holy Rosary and Holy Mass
Wednesday, March 19th — Solemnity of Saint Joseph
- 08:00 — Festive bell ringing
- 10:30 — Holy Rosary and Holy Mass (Church of Saint Joseph)
- 17:30 — Holy Rosary in the Mother Church
- 19:30 — Solemn procession of the statue of Saint Joseph from the Mother Church to the Church of Saint Joseph
Highlights Saint Joseph Petrosino 2026
Prices Saint Joseph Petrosino 2026
Practical information — Saint Joseph Petrosino
When
The festivities take place every year in March, around the feast of Saint Joseph on March 19th. The 2026 edition was held from March 14th to 19th.
Where
Petrosino (TP), western Sicily. The celebrations are concentrated between the Mother Church and the Church-Rectory of Saint Joseph, in the town center.
How to get there
By car, Petrosino is easily accessible from the A29 motorway (Mazara del Vallo or Marsala exit). The nearest airport is Trapani-Birgi (Vincenzo Florio), about half an hour away. The reference train station is in Marsala.
Admission
All celebrations and the procession are free and open to everyone.
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Where does it take place — Saint Joseph Petrosino
Chiesa Madre e Chiesa-Rettoria di San Giuseppe