Sant'Agata Summer Celebrations – 9th Centenary of the Translation of the Relics

A festival that preserves the memory of Catania

The Sant'Agata Summer Celebrations, commonly known as Sant'Agata in Summer, are the second major event that the Etnean capital dedicates to its beloved Patron Saint, following the famous February festival. They take place every year in mid-August in the heart of the Municipality of Catania, in the province of Catania, Sicily, and culminate on August 17, the day the city commemorates the return of the Saint's relics.

The history: the return from Constantinople

The remains of Sant'Agata, a 3rd-century Catanese martyr, were stolen in 1040 by the Byzantine general George Maniakes and taken to Constantinople, where they remained for over eighty years. In 1126, the soldiers Gisliberto and Goselmo managed to secretly bring them back to Catania: their arrival by sea near Aci Castello is the origin of this summer festival. The translation is commemorated with a suggestive night pilgrimage that, at dawn, accompanies the faithful and the fercolo (reliquary carriage) along the seafront and Via Etnea to the Cathedral.

The 9th Centenary: the 2026 Agatine Jubilee

2026 marks the 900th anniversary of the return of the relics (1126-2026), and the city is experiencing a true Agatine Jubilee. The Archdiocese of Catania, together with the Municipality, the University, and the Committee, has organized an extraordinary program concentrated from August 16 to 18. Among the most anticipated highlights is the extraordinary exposition of the Saint's Sacred Skull, visible after decades, and the reliquary bust restored at the Vatican Museums. The most solemn moment is the pontifical celebration presided over by the Papal Legate, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, envoy of Pope Leo XIV.

Rites, processions, and popular devotion

• Dawn pilgrimage from the coast to Piazza Duomo
• Solemn masses and exposition of the relics in the Cathedral
• Procession of the fercolo through the streets of the historic center
• Prayer vigil in Aci Castello, the site of the relics' landing
• Devotion of the cittadini (citizens) with the traditional cerei and candelore (large ornate candles)

Sant'Euplio, co-patron

The August celebrations also intertwine with the memory of Sant'Euplio, deacon and co-patron of Catania, celebrated on August 12 with the translation of his reliquary arm. It is a heartfelt moment that precedes the heart of the Agatine festivities, enriching the city's religious and popular calendar.

An experience of faith, identity, and tradition

Participating in the Sant'Agata summer celebrations means immersing yourself in the deepest identity of Catania: a baroque, volcanic, and devout city where faith becomes a collective rite and a popular festival. Between the white sacchi (devotional habits) of the faithful, the silver of the fercolo, and the scent of traditional sweets, the Catanese summer vibrates with an ancient spirituality that, in 2026, reaches its centenary peak.