San Corrado Confalonieri Festival
The most heartfelt celebration of faith and tradition in Pachino, featuring processions, food festivals, and fireworks.
About San Corrado Festival
An ancient devotion in the heart of the Val di Noto
The San Corrado Confalonieri Festival is one of the most cherished celebrations in the municipality of Pachino, located in the heart of the Val di Noto at the southeastern tip of Sicily in the province of Syracuse. Along with Easter and the patronal feast of Santa Maria Assunta, it represents a pivotal moment in the city's religious and civic calendar, engaging entire families and attracting devotees from throughout the Noto territory.
Who was San Corrado
San Corrado Confalonieri was born in Piacenza in 1290. According to tradition, after accidentally causing a fire during a hunt, he took the blame to save an innocent man, subsequently choosing a life of penance. In 1322, he arrived in Sicily and retreated to a cave near Noto Antica, where he lived as a hermit until his death in 1351. As the patron saint of the city and the diocese of Noto, he has been venerated in Pachino since the mid-20th century: the parish dedicated to him, long managed by the Canossian fathers, was canonically established in 1951.
Faith and tradition
The religious core of the festival is the procession of the San Corrado statue, which winds through the city streets adorned with flowers and lights on the main Sunday, carried on the shoulders of devotees amidst music and prayer. A highlight is the blessing of the San Corrado bread, a symbol of charity and abundance distributed to the faithful and taken to the sick. The week of festivities also includes the Stations of the Cross, solemn masses, and the blessing of children in votive attire.
Popular and gastronomic highlights
Alongside the religious rites, the parish oratory becomes a vibrant gathering hub: entertainment for children with music, dancing, and inflatables, competitions, award ceremonies, and the famous cavatelli and Sicilian cannolo food festival, enlivened by local folk and musical groups. There is also the traditional bread and cheese auction, a gesture of solidarity linked to the festival, while the Sunday concludes in the square with an evening fireworks display.
A community gathering
Bridging the sacred and the secular, the San Corrado Festival reflects the identity of Pachino: a community that finds unity in its faith and traditions, welcoming visitors and devotees in a warm, family-like atmosphere. For those visiting southeastern Sicily in winter, it is a unique opportunity to discover the religious folklore of the Val di Noto, a land of Baroque beauty and deep spiritual roots.
San Corrado Festival — edition 2026
San Corrado Festival 2026 in Pachino
The 2026 edition opened at dawn on Thursday, February 19, with the ringing of bells and cannon fire announcing the liturgical solemnity, followed by mass and the blessing of the bread. Friday the 20th was dedicated to Morning Lauds and the Stations of the Cross (at 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM).
On Saturday the 21st, the oratory hosted a children's party from 3:30 PM with music, dancing, and inflatables, followed in the evening by the cavatelli and Sicilian cannolo food festival, enlivened by the group I TerrArsa. Sunday the 22nd, the first Sunday of Lent and the main day, featured mass with the blessing of children in votive attire, a tribute from the musicians and flag-wavers of the City of Noto, the departure of the statue, and the procession through the city streets (at 7:15 PM), the bread and cheese auction, and, at 10:30 PM, the closing fireworks display.
The festivities concluded on Sunday, March 1, with a solemn mass presided over by the Bishop of Noto, Monsignor Salvatore Rumeo, and the comedy "Cose di casa nostra" performed by the Compagnia dell'Allegria.
Programme San Corrado Festival 2026
Thursday, February 19
- 8:00 AM: Bells ringing and cannon fire
- 10:00 AM: Mass with blessing of the bread
- 6:30 PM: Eucharistic concelebration
Friday, February 20
- Morning Lauds
- 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM: Stations of the Cross
Saturday, February 21
- 3:30 PM: Oratory party with music, dancing, inflatables, and snacks
- 6:00 PM: Mass
- 8:00 PM: Cavatelli and Sicilian cannolo food festival with the group I TerrArsa
Sunday, February 22
- 8:00 AM: Cannon fire and bells ringing
- 10:00 AM: Mass with blessing of children in votive attire
- 11:00 AM: Hymn to the Patron Saint with the Pro Music band
- 4:00 PM: Tribute from the musicians and flag-wavers of the City of Noto
- 6:00 PM: Mass with the Canto in Coro group
- 7:15 PM: Departure of the statue and procession
- 10:00 PM: Bread and cheese auction at the oratory
- 10:30 PM: Fireworks display
Sunday, March 1
- 6:00 PM: Solemn mass with the Bishop of Noto; return of the statue
- Following: Comedy "Cose di casa nostra"
Highlights San Corrado Festival 2026
Prices San Corrado Festival 2026
Practical information — San Corrado Festival
Getting there
Pachino can be reached by car via the SS115 and provincial roads connecting it to Noto and Syracuse. The nearest train station is in Noto (about 20 km away), served by regional trains; the primary airports are Catania-Fontanarossa and Comiso.
Location
Celebrations are centered at the Church of San Corrado Confalonieri and the parish oratory on Corso Nunzio Costa, while the procession and fireworks take place throughout the main streets and squares of the town center.
Practical tips
Admission to religious celebrations and the procession is free. As the event takes place in February, warm clothing suitable for winter evenings is recommended. For food festivals held in the oratory, it is advisable to check with the parish regarding schedules and potential reservations.
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Where does it take place — San Corrado Festival
Chiesa di San Corrado Confalonieri
Corso Nunzio Costa 192, 96018 Pachino