Sant'Anna Festival – Borgo Vecchio

A maritime devotion in the heart of Palermo

In the Borgo Vecchio district, a historic working-class and maritime neighborhood of Palermo, the Sant'Anna Festival is one of the most cherished devotional events of the summer. The Venerable Congregation of Mother Saint Anne at the Borgo, founded on May 10, 1555, has guarded and organized the celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary's mother—officially proclaimed patron saint of Borgo Vecchio—for nearly five centuries. This confraternity is older than the Festino of Saint Rosalia, a testament to how deeply rooted this devotion is in the neighborhood's identity.

The rites of the festival

The festivities are concentrated in the last week of July, with the solemn procession scheduled for the Sunday following July 26, the day the Church commemorates Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin. The festival opens with the so-called 'scinnuta', the descent and placement of the Saint Anne statue at the foot of the altar, accompanied by prayers and the participation of three parishes and three confraternities of the district (Sant'Anna, San Giuseppe, and Santissimo Crocifisso).

• The 'scinnuta': The placement of the statue at the foot of the altar in the days leading up to the festival.
• Midnight bells: According to a centuries-old tradition, the bells ring out in celebration at the stroke of midnight on Saturday.
• The novices' procession: Held on Saturday afternoon, this is a moment of transition and welcoming for new confreres.
• The solemn Vara procession: The highlight of the festival on Sunday, featuring a tour through all the streets and alleys of the neighborhood.

Homage to the sea and the Ucciardone

The most poignant moment is the procession's entry into the Port of Palermo: welcomed by the sound of ship sirens and assisted by a Coast Guard vessel, a wreath of flowers is cast into the sea in memory of those lost at sea, honoring the congregation's maritime origins. The statue is then taken to the Ucciardone prison for a moment of prayer dedicated to the inmates, before winding through the alleys of the Borgo and stopping beneath the balconies of the sick.

A people's festival

Throughout the week, the neighborhood comes alive with events for children, tastings of traditional Palermitan food offered by local merchants, and a dance recital involving the local girls. The final day is marked by shouts in the Sicilian dialect, the offering of children to the Saint, a long 'masculiata' (firecracker display), and a final fireworks show in the main square, Piazza della Pace. Included in the calendar of popular traditions of Sicily, the Sant'Anna Festival in Borgo Vecchio is an extraordinary testament to popular faith, urban folklore, and maritime memory in the heart of the Sicilian capital.