Feast of San Cataldo in Gagliano Castelferrato

The event of The end of August a Gagliano Castelferrato and the Feast of San Cataldo, patron saint of the country.

The entire month is dedicated to the memory of the Patron Saint, with Masses, prayers and activities involving the entire religious community, such as the laurel harvest.
The Feast of San Cataldo culminates in three days entirely dedicated to the Irish Saint: the Procession, with the Caronia laurel offered to San Cataldo, the rods with the effigy of the Saint, the Procession following the relics, the Mass held by the Bishop and then the final Procession, which begins with the visit to the Chapel of the Saint at Puleo plan, arrives at the Church of the Annunziata and continues along the main streets of the town.

A peculiarity linked to this event is the presence of candles which are carried in procession, year after year, until they are completely consumed in the march of the barefoot faithful.

The history of the Feast of San Cataldo in Gagliano Castelferrato

That of the candle is aancient tradition during the Feast of San Cataldo, to honor the Patron Saint.

San Cataldo has been venerated in these areas since the times of the Norman invasions and the great diffusion of the cult of the Irish saint dates back to the times of Frederick III, in the fourteenth century, when the king of Sicily wanted to celebrate his victory and the peace of Caltabellotta with the construction of the Mother Church.

On the occasion of this religious festival, the whole municipality participates with devotion in this great popular event, with sports competitions, challenges and award ceremonies.

When the Feast of San Cataldo takes place in Gagliano Castelferrato

The whole month of August is dedicated to the Patron Saint, but the official dates of the Feast of San Cataldo are the 29, 30 and 31 August.

Where the Feast of San Cataldo takes place in Gagliano Castelferrato

At the Mother Church of San Cataldo, in via Galleria n.57, the solemn Mass is officiated in honor of the Patron Saint; the procession then takes place along the main streets of the centre, stopping at Piano Puleo and the Church of the Annunziata.

What to do during the Feast of San Cataldo in Gagliano Castelferrato

Those who arrive in the village on the occasion of the Festival can take part in the celebrations in the Church and in the Procession, alongside the local faithful. Furthermore, the Feast of San Cataldo is also an excellent opportunity to discover the village, populated by around 3.300 people and with an ancient history linked to that of the Castle of Gagliano, carved into the rock.

It is no coincidence that the Rocca just north of the town is one of the main attractions of the area, with the ruins of the XNUMXth century fort, including towers, underground halls and still visible walls; in the centre, on the other hand, you will find, in addition to the Mother Church, Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, built in the last century, but custodian of some works of art that survived the destruction of the seventeenth-century church that was on site and was undermined during World War II. The Church of Santa Maria di Gesu, Sant'Agostino e San Giuseppe are other sacred buildings to visit in the village.

North of Nissoria, Agira and Regalbuto, Gagliano di Castelferrato allows you to easily reach these delightful villages, where you will find the Church of San Giuseppe (Nissoria), the Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova (Agira) and the Church of San Basilio (Regalbuto ) for a real tour of sacred art in the area. With an hour's journey, however, you will be in Catania, on the Ionian Sea, to enjoy all the beauties of a great city of art and also of the coast.

How to get to Gagliano Castelferrato

Gagliano Castelferrato is one of the twenty Municipalities of the Free Municipal Consortium of Enna; getting to the town is easy both for those traveling with their own car and for those who prefer to travel by train.

In the car, take the A19 Palermo-Catania to the Dittaino exit, which is located about 16 km from the centre; on the train, get off at the S. Agata di Militello station and take the bus or shuttle to the town, 41 km away.