Sant'Agata Patronal Feast

A festival born from a 1126 legend

The Sant'Agata Patronal Feast in Alì, a small municipality in the Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, is one of the community's most heartfelt events. The devotion dates back to 1126, when the relics of Saint Agatha, a martyr from Catania, were being transported from Constantinople to Catania. According to local tradition, the ship carrying the sacred remains stopped right off the coast of Alì. The inhabitants interpreted this as a providential sign, and the keepers of the relics, moved by the people's fervor, gifted the village a piece of the veil that covered the relics and a relic of the saint. From that moment on, Saint Agatha became the patron saint of Alì.

The festival rituals

Celebrations begin with a solemn novena starting on January 27th: every evening at the Mother Church, the chaplet is recited and Holy Mass is celebrated in honor of the patron saint. The heart of the festival is February 5th, the day of the saint's martyrdom, when the village wakes to the sound of firecrackers and the notes of the brass band marching through the streets.

• 8:00 AM — First mass at the Mother Church
• 11:00 AM — Solemn sung mass
• 5:00 PM — Procession with the venerated statue of Saint Agatha through the village streets
• Evening — Pontifical celebration, kissing of the reliquary arm, brass band concert, and fireworks

The Octave and the kissing of the relic

Tradition dictates that on February 5th, the kissing of the reliquary arm is reserved for visitors and pilgrims from outside the village, while the residents of Alì pay homage to the saint on the day of the Octave, February 12th. This gesture of deep participation concludes the celebrations and renews the centuries-old bond between the village and its protector every year.

A village between sea and mountains

Nestled in the Peloritani mountains, just a few kilometers from the Ionian coast of Messina, Alì preserves the authentic atmosphere of small Sicilian towns. During the Sant'Agata festival, the village comes alive with the faithful, music, and traditions that intertwine the sacred and the popular, offering visitors a genuine glimpse of island religiosity. A second commemoration on August 17th marks the anniversary of the 1126 translation of the relics.