Saint Nicolò Politi Festival (August) — Estate Alcarese

The patronal feast in the heart of the Nebrodi

Nestled among the woods of the Nebrodi Park, at an altitude of about 400 meters in the province of Messina, Alcara li Fusi experiences one of its most intense moments of the year in August: the Saint Nicolò Politi Festival, the hermit saint venerated as the patron and protector of the town. It is one of those Sicilian patronal feasts where popular devotion, the identity of an entire village, and civic celebration merge into a few unforgettable days.

Who was Saint Nicolò Politi

According to tradition, Nicolò Politi was born in Adrano in 1117 and, at just seventeen, refused an arranged marriage to embrace a hermit's life. After an initial retreat on the slopes of Mount Etna, he settled in a small cave at the foot of Rocca Calanna, near Alcara li Fusi, where he lived for about thirty years in prayer and penance. Legend has it that he was fed daily by bread brought by an eagle. He died on August 17, 1167, and his body was discovered the following day: this is why August 17 and 18 are the focal points of the summer festivities.

The rites of the Alcarese August

The religious program unfolds during the middle days of the month. It begins with the evocative "ntrata", the entrance of the saint's silver bust carried in procession under an arch of laurel branches in front of the patron's house. August 17 is the highlight, featuring a Solemn Mass and a long procession of the simulacrum and relics through the entire historic center, experienced by the community with deep participation. On August 18, the anniversary of the discovery of his body, the moving pilgrimage on foot to the hermitage of Rocca Calanna takes place, where a church now guards the cave where the saint lived.

Estate Alcarese: concerts and food festivals

The Estate Alcarese revolves around the religious feast, a summer program organized by the Municipality of Alcara li Fusi that fills August with music, shows, sports tournaments, food and wine trails, and festivals. The main stage is Piazza De Gasperi, which has hosted well-known names of Italian music over the years, alongside events spread across Piazza Politi, Villa Patroniti, Contrada Grazia, and the village streets. A formula that combines the spirituality of the patronal feast with the fun of summer, capable of attracting returning emigrants, visitors, and curious travelers to discover one of the most authentic villages of the Nebrodi Sicily, within the territory of the Sicilian Region.