Saint Joseph Festival

Saint Joseph, patron saint of Randazzo since 1679

In the heart of the Etna Park, the medieval village of Randazzo (Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily) celebrates the Saint Joseph Festival every year on March 19th, honoring its patron saint since 1679. It is one of the most deeply felt traditions for the local community, weaving together popular devotion and the memory of a dramatic event: the 1981 eruption of Mount Etna.

Remembering the 1981 lava flow

The festival holds a unique significance in Randazzo as it coincides with the anniversary of the last major lava flow that threatened the town. On March 17, 1981, Mount Etna erupted violently; a river of lava destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland, vineyards, and olive groves, advancing rapidly toward the town. According to local tradition, on March 19th, as the community carried the statue of Saint Joseph in procession, the lava slowed and eventually stopped just meters from the first houses. The people of Randazzo saw this as the intercession of their patron saint, and the festival has since become a thanksgiving ceremony for the averted disaster.

The torchlight procession and the statue on San Pietro hill

The civil and religious heart of the day is the evocative torchlight procession that, on the afternoon of March 19th, winds through the historic center to reach San Pietro hill. Here stands the statue of Saint Joseph, carved by sculptor Gaetano Arrigo one year after the eruption, crafted entirely from the lava stone of the flow itself—a symbolic gesture transforming the material of destruction into a sign of protection. The monument faces the volcano and bears the inscription: «In the days of trial, as then, protect us».

Rice fritters, the festival's signature sweet

As with many Sicilian Saint Joseph celebrations, the occasion in Randazzo has its own gastronomic tradition: zeppole di riso (rice fritters) drizzled with honey and cinnamon, typical treats prepared for the occasion and the stars of the town's tables and market stalls.

A village to discover

The festival is also the perfect opportunity to visit one of Sicily's best-preserved medieval villages: lava stone alleys, Norman and Swabian churches, and the unique backdrop of the northern slope of Mount Etna. Devotion to Saint Joseph is deeply rooted in the history of the Randazzo community; before World War II, there was even a small rural church dedicated to the saint from which the procession with the statue began.