Saint Joseph Festival - Summer Patronal Celebrations
The summer celebrations for the patron saint of Ramacca, featuring processions, neighborhood pilgrimages, and open-air performances.
About Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca
A devotion spanning centuries
Saint Joseph was chosen as the protector of Ramacca in the early 1700s, at the time of the town's founding, and since then, devotion to the Saint has marked the life of the community with two annual events. Alongside the liturgical feast on March 19th, featuring the famous banquet tables and domestic altars laden with votive breads shaped into symbolic forms, Ramacca dedicates a second, larger, and more participatory celebration to its patron: the summer patronal festivities, held around the first Sunday of July in the heart of the municipality, in the province of Catania, in the center of eastern Sicily.
Ten days of celebration in the historic center
The summer festival is preceded by the solemn entry of the Saint Joseph statue into the church, accompanied by a brass band, and unfolds over several days, alternating moments of devotion with cultural and recreational initiatives. The religious core remains the procession of the statue which, at nightfall, winds through the streets of the center amidst the participation of the faithful, while the town's four districts take turns in the traditional neighborhood pilgrimages that visit the various areas of the town.
- Opening with firecracker salutes and the exit of the statue
- Eucharistic celebrations and evening processions through the streets of the center
- Pilgrimages of the Carrubbo-Cortina, Pozzillo-Canalicchio, Centro-Furriato-Ospedale, and Sibbia-Burgo districts
- Musical and theatrical performances in Piazza Umberto and Largo Livatino
- "Draw the Festival" competition and the Saint Joseph lottery draw
Performances and popular tradition
The festivities combine the sacred dimension with a packed calendar of events that animate the squares: theater evenings, dance performances, concerts, and tribute bands transform the center of Ramacca into a grand celebration space for residents and visitors. The conclusion is marked by solemn Vespers with the participation of civil and military authorities, the final procession of the statue, and the Saint's return to the church, accompanied by the awards ceremony for the "Draw the Festival" competition and the lottery prize draw.
An identity-defining festival of the Etna region
The summer festivities of Saint Joseph are one of the most heartfelt events in the Ramacca calendar and represent a moment of strong identity for the entire community. The festival, organized by the Saint Joseph Committee, tells the story of Sicilian popular religiosity and the ability of communities in the Etna hinterland to preserve their traditions, offering visitors the chance to experience an authentic event in the agricultural landscape of the Piana di Catania.
Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca — edition 2026
The summer patronal festivities of Saint Joseph in Ramacca are held from June 26 to July 5, 2026. The opening is set for June 26: at 9:00 AM, firecracker salutes announce the start of the festival, while at 7:30 PM, the statue exits the church, followed by the Eucharistic celebration and the evening procession.
The cultural program animates Piazza Umberto with the theatrical show "Mimì da sud a sud", dedicated to Domenico Modugno and performed by Mario Incudine (June 27), and a dance performance by Ornella Guarnera (June 28). From June 29 to July 2, the neighborhood pilgrimages take place in the Carrubbo-Cortina, Pozzillo-Canalicchio, Centro-Furriato-Ospedale, and Sibbia-Burgo areas.
On July 4, at 6:00 PM, the procession of the statue is scheduled, followed at Largo Livatino by a concert from the Vasco Rossi tribute band "Le Deviazioni". The festival concludes on July 5 with a Eucharistic celebration in memory of the committee's deceased members, solemn Vespers with civil and military authorities, the final procession, and, at midnight, the Saint's return to the church, the awards ceremony for the 5th "Draw the Festival" competition, and the lottery draw.
Programme Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca 2026
- June 26 - 9:00 AM: firecracker salutes; 7:30 PM: exit of the statue, Eucharistic celebration, and procession
- June 27 - 9:00 PM, Piazza Umberto: theatrical show "Mimì da sud a sud" dedicated to Domenico Modugno, with Mario Incudine
- June 28 - 9:00 PM, Piazza Umberto: dance performance by Ornella Guarnera
- June 29 - July 2 - from 6:30 PM: neighborhood pilgrimages (Carrubbo-Cortina, Pozzillo-Canalicchio, Centro-Furriato-Ospedale, Sibbia-Burgo)
- July 4 - 6:00 PM: procession of the statue; followed at Largo Livatino by a concert from the Vasco Rossi tribute band "Le Deviazioni"
- July 5 - 11:00 AM: Eucharistic celebration in memory of the committee's deceased members; 7:00 PM: solemn Vespers with civil and military authorities and procession; midnight: Saint's return to the church, awards ceremony for the 5th "Draw the Festival" competition, and lottery draw
Highlights Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca 2026
- Theatrical show "Mimì da sud a sud" with Mario Incudine, a tribute to Domenico Modugno
- Pilgrimages of the four districts of Ramacca
- The final procession of the statue and the solemn Vespers on July 5
- The "Draw the Festival" competition and the Saint Joseph lottery draw
Prices Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca 2026
Practical information — Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca
Getting there
Ramacca is located in the hinterland of the Metropolitan City of Catania, at an altitude of about 266 meters on the first hills west of the Piana di Catania. By car, it is reachable via the SS417 Catania-Gela. The nearest airport is Catania-Fontanarossa, while the reference railway station is in Catania.
Where it takes place
The heart of the festivities is Piazza Umberto I, home to the Mother Church, with processions winding through the streets of the historic center and performances also hosted at Largo Livatino.
Admission
Religious events and performances in the square are free and open to the public.
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Where does it take place — Summer Saint Joseph in Ramacca
Piazza Umberto I e centro storico
Piazza Umberto I, 95040 Ramacca