San Rocco Festival

A popular celebration at the foot of Mount Etna

The San Rocco Festival is one of the most cherished events in Linguaglossa, a small town in the Province of Catania nestled on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. Saint Roch of Montpellier, the miracle-working saint invoked against epidemics, is venerated here as the co-patron of the community. His feast, held around August 16th, has brought together the entire town and many locals returning home for the occasion for generations.

The August 16th Procession

The religious heart of the festival is the solemn procession of the statue. At dusk on August 16th, the saint leaves the Church of San Rocco in Piazza San Rocco—a building constructed in the early 17th century on the site of a small altar dedicated to the saint—and travels through the streets of the village to the Mother Church, where a solemn Mass is celebrated. Late in the evening, the procession returns to bring San Rocco back to his church.

A Week of Events

The festivities extend beyond a single day: the organizing committee keeps the spirit alive all week with a program packed with concerts, theatrical performances, dance, and cinema, all accompanied by tastings of local products. There is no shortage of traditional Sicilian games—such as the cursa chi sacchi (sack race), the cu ruzzuleddu game, tug-of-war, and the scassata e catusi—along with the classic summer tombola that enlivens the evenings in the square.

The Asta di San Rocco

The most distinctive moment arrives on the Sunday following August 16th with the Asta di San Rocco. Described as the oldest auction of typical Sicilian products and crafts, it is a unique tradition where the faithful offer the fruits of the earth and artisanal creations for sale, with proceeds supporting the festival. Between the calls of the auctioneer and the floral tributes to the ladies present, the auction perfectly captures the community spirit and solidarity of the entire event.

Devotion and Identity

Between the liturgical solemnity, the fireworks display that closes the main evenings, and the joy of old-fashioned games, the San Rocco Festival in Linguaglossa is much more than a religious appointment: it is a ritual of identity that, every August, strengthens the bond of the entire Etna community with its history and roots.