Saint Michael the Archangel Festival in Massannunziata

The patronal feast of Massannunziata

The Saint Michael the Archangel Festival is the patronal celebration of Massannunziata, the only hamlet of the municipality of Mascalucia, in the province of Catania, Sicily. It is held every year on September 29th, the fixed date in the liturgical calendar dedicated to the Archangel, and represents one of the strongest identity-defining moments for this small village nestled on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna.

The procession along Via del Bosco

The highlight of the festival is the evening procession: as dusk falls, the venerated statue of Saint Michael the Archangel leaves the church and winds its way along Via del Bosco, the hamlet's main artery, accompanied by the faithful, the ringing of bells, and the hushed atmosphere typical of patronal feasts in Etna's villages. The procession crosses the ancient core of Massannunziata, with its small rural houses and narrow streets, revealing the village's most authentic face for one evening.

The statue and the Church of Maria SS. Annunziata

The cult of Saint Michael is housed in the Church of Maria Santissima Annunziata, built in 1683 by the Massa family, the feudal lords from whom the hamlet takes part of its name. Originally dedicated to Saint Joseph, the church now welcomes the devotion to the Archangel, the community's patron. The statue, a fine polychrome and gilded wooden sculpture from 1654 standing about 170 cm tall, depicts Saint Michael in the classic pose of the celestial warrior wielding a sword and crushing the devil. The statue, which survived the devastating 1669 eruption of Etna, underwent a careful restoration in 2023, promoted by the Sicilian Region under the supervision of the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage of Catania.

History of Massannunziata

The hamlet was born following the 1669 eruption, which buried the ancient village of Mompileri under lava: the population moved further downstream, creating Massa Annunziata in honor of the Massa lords and the Marian cult of the Annunciation. It was an autonomous municipality until 1839, when it was annexed to Mascalucia. A short distance away stands the famous Sanctuary of the Madonna della Sciara in Mompileri, a destination for regional pilgrimages, testifying to the deep spirituality that characterizes this Etna territory.

A community gathering

More than a grand spectacular event, the Saint Michael the Archangel Festival is an intimate and participatory village feast that gathers the inhabitants of Massannunziata and devotees from the surrounding areas around their patron saint every September 29th. For those visiting the slopes of Mount Etna, it is an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of Sicilian religious tradition, far from the main tourist circuits.