Feast of St. Paul the Apostle in Solarino

A village in the Free Municipal Consortium of Syracuse becomes the center of the world: it happens on the day of Feast of St. Paul the Apostle in Solarino, when in month of August festivities are celebrated in honor of patron saint.

A celebration beloved by the local inhabitants, which is not forgotten even by the emigrants. Those who emigrated from Solarino to Switzerland, Germany, the United States or Australia, on the occasion of Patron Saint try to go home; even the inhabitants of the neighboring villages come to Solarino for the festival and, of course, all the tourists who are on holiday in the town and its surroundings are invited to participate.

On this day we honor the conversion of Saint Paul, which is remembered with Masses Solemn, Procession following the simulacrum through the streets of the town and preparation of calia and simenza, traditional dish preparato made with chickpeas and pumpkin seeds. Already several days before the feast, however, the town prepares itself with Eucharistic celebrations and prayers, while on Sunday evening the feast of Saint Paul closes with a great opera concert in the churchyard.

The history of the Patronal Festival of Solarino

The Feast of St. Paul the Apostle in Solarino dates back to the eighteenth century, when in 1770 St. Paul was proclaimed patron saint of the town. In those days, the Patronal Feast of Solarino was celebrated on January 25, the day of the conversion of Saint Paul. About a century later, the Festival was moved to the day of Saint Peter and Paul, June 29 and with the beginning of the twentieth century, the official date was postponed again, to the last Sunday in July.

The current date is the result of the last change, which took place in 1953, to avoid the coincidence of the Patronal feast with that of Santa Venera in Avola.

When does the Festa Di San Paolo Apostolo take place in Solarino?

For over half a century now, the official date of the celebrations for the Feast of Saint Paul the Apostle in Solarino has been in the first Sunday of August.

Where the Festival of San Apostolo takes place in Solarino

Solarino, in the Free Municipal Consortium of Syracuse, is a hilly town populated by about 7.500; the symbolic places of the Patronal feast are the Well and the Chapel of San Paolo. The Solemn Mass takes place in Piazza del Plebiscito.

What to do during the Patronal Festival of Solarino

The feast of St. Paul the Apostle in Solarino is the feast of the patron saint of the town and everyone from the center and from the nearby villages gathers in the Church and in the square to celebrate, so the first thing to do during a stay in Solarino during the festival period is to join in the celebrations. Visitors can then start a tour to discover Solarino: admire the Pozzo , Chapel of St. Paul at the ancient Mother Church, then continuing in the direction of the Church of the Madonna delle Lacrime, built in 1966; among the historic buildings in the center, there is a nationally recognized monument, namely the Baronial Casino in Piazza del Plebiscito, near the Town Hall; in Corso Vittorio Emanuele there is the Siapala Palace, while just outside the centre, towards the southern area of ​​the town, is the splendid Giuseppe Vasquez Hospital, built in Colonial style in 1928.

In and around the town, there are also some commemorative places which celebrate the more recent history of Solarino and of our country, such as the Monument in memory of the Battle of Solarino in World War II; the area surrounding the town is also rich in archaeological treasures, such as the Rivettazzo quarry o Cozzo Collira, perfect destinations for those who love history and archeology.

How to get to Solarino to participate in the Feast of St. Paul the Apostle

Solarino is located in Province of Syracuse, at 165 meters above sea level and can be easily reached by car or train.
If you prefer the car, the closest exit is the one for Priolo Gargallo Sud-Florida from the Catania-Siracusa motorway, about 6 km from the centre; on the train, however, you can get off at Syracuse Station and continue for the next 14 km by bus or shuttle.