Feast of San Giuseppe in Racalmuto

La feast of San Giuseppe in Racalmutoin province of Agrigento, still retains all the traditional rites that make this festival a very special and unique event.

The most awaited event of this Festival is undoubtedly the tavolata, a moment of conviviality and hospitality that follows the solemn Masses in the village, in which the whole community of the faithful participates. Even the eve of St. Joseph is celebrated in Racalmuto, with a solemn Mass in honor of the patriarch of the Church.

But let's take a closer look at what it means to participate in the table: the local families are committed to set the big table for the poor in honor of San Giuseppe, with the offer of pasta and legumes, bread and typical local products. The table is blessed before all the faithful gather for the meal.

During the rest of the day, the celebrations continue in the Church with the Mass, to then continue in the main streets of the town in the Procession following the simulacrum of San Giuseppe. In the night, the Feast of San Giuseppe in Racalmuto ends with fireworks.

The story linked to the Table of San Giuseppe

That of the Tavolata is aancient tradition dear to all of Sicily and there are many countries that still today set the table for the poor, but what does this tradition represent that makes the Feast of San Giuseppe so special? Local families who wish to thank San Giuseppe take it upon themselves to set the table with typical local products and with the characteristic pasta with legumes.

Furthermore, tradition wants that the Holy Family, and so three actors among the faithful undertake to take the side of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, to represent the sacred scene every year. In the past, the table was an opportunity to offer a hot meal to the poorest in the country, thus also carrying out a charitable act aimed at the neediest.

When the Feast of San Giuseppe takes place in Racalmuto

The Feast of San Giuseppe in Racalmuto takes place every year on 19 March.

Where the Feast of San Giuseppe takes place in Racalmuto

Racalmuto is located in the Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento; the addresses to mark are Piazza Barona and Piazza Umberto I, where the Church of St. Joseph.

What to do during the Feast of San Giuseppe in Racalmuto

During the Feast of San Giuseppe, tourists will be able to live like true Sicilians for a day: by participating in the Mass, the Table and the Procession, visitors will be able to get in touch with the most intimate spirit of the community, making new friends and discovering ancient traditions.

If you decide to organize one vacation in Racalmuto on the occasion of the Festival, you can explore the whole town: in the center you will find numerous churches, such as the one dedicated to Holy Mary of Jesus or the Mother Church of Maria SS. Announced; among the attractions we also point out the Theater and especially Sciascia house, the house of the great Sicilian writer's aunts, while the Leonardo Sciascia Foundation it rises inside a disused former Enel plant. The Racalmuto stage thus enters the journey of the incredible by right Road of the Writers, along the route of the State Road 640, dedicated to the timeless myths of Sicilian literature Luigi Pirandello, Leonardo Sciascia and Andrea Camilleri.

In Racalmuto you can also taste all the best of the eighth art, with dishes such as fish couscous, stuffed chicken and aubergines with quail; among the desserts, in addition to the classic cannolo, try the ricotta puffs, before leaving for villages such as Favara where you will visit the Chiaramonte Castle or coastal towns such as Porto Empedocle, where you can admire the Tower of Charles V and the statue of Commissioner Montalbano . The largest center of Agrigento is only 22 km from the town.

How is it possible to get to the Feast of San Giuseppe in Racalmuto

Racalmuto, in the Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento, is easily reached in the car, via the SS 640 which connects Caltanissetta with Porto Empedocle, while those arriving with the train, you can get to the center by getting off at Agrigento Central Station, and then continue by bus or shuttle to the town.