Feast of San Nicola di Bari in Roccavaldina

La Feast of St. Nicholas of Bari it is the best time to discover the traditions of Roccavaldina, which thanks to this event is able to recall all the charm of its past.
The party is entitled to Patron Saint of Roccavaldina, whose cult in the city is secular, so much so that it has its roots since the birth of the village itself.

The devotion for the people of Roccia towards San Nicola di Bari intensified around 1300, when the saint himself was the protagonist of a miracle which allowed Roccavaldina to defeat the famine which was causing the entire urban center to succumb.

When the Feast of San Nicola di Bari takes place in Roccavaldina

The main events of the Feast of San Nicola di Bari are scheduled for 6th December, even if the activities in honor of the patron saint of Roccavaldina already begin two days before, the 4th December.

The event is also seen as the beginning of a series of events that run up to Christmaswhich are located throughout the territory of the Nicetus Valley, that coastal plain area that embraces various municipalities in the Messina area.

Where the Festival of San Nicola di Bari takes place in Roccavaldina

Il Cathedral of San Nicolò, located in the historic center of Roccavaldina, is the main hub of the activities related to the Feast of San Nicola di Bari.
In the surroundings of this place there are also many other points of interest, such as the Castle of Roccavaldina andAncient Pharmacy, among the places most appreciated by visitors who spend their holidays here vacation in Sicily.

What to do at the Feast of San Nicola di Bari in Roccavaldina

During the Feast of San Nicola di Bari you will be able to notice the alternation of activities linked to the traditions and folklore of the area. In fact, in addition to the liturgies and the various moments related to the religious holiday, there will also be various entertainment appointments, where you can attend parades, concerts by folk groups and much more.

Among the most exciting moments we mention the religious procession of December 6, in which the Simulacrum of San Nicola di Bari he is accompanied by the faithful through the streets of the city, crossing all its main monuments.

The Feast of the Banquet in Roccavaldina

About every 10 years, in addition to the Feast of San Nicola di Bari, the Feast of the Invitation, a further recurrence linked to the cult of the patron saint of Roccavaldina.

During this anniversary you will be able to relive all the scenes that recall the miracle of San Nicola di Bari, who freed the city from famine by bringing a boat full of rice and other foods. To celebrate, the richest organized a banquet for all the poorest families, in which the rich themselves took on the role of sutler, creating a tradition that is still revived today.

The Festa del Convito is organized in first weekend of August not always on a regular basis. Although the period of time between one edition and the next is usually 10 years, according to a local custom, the Festa del Convito must be organized at least 5 years after the previous time but never more than 50 years.

How to get to Roccavaldina for the Feast of San Nicola di Bari

Attending the Feast of San Nicola di Bari and the Feast of the Convito is very simple, as the city of Roccavaldina is well connected to the rest of Sicily via the Provincial Road 58, on which the buses of Sicilian Transport Company AST.

If you prefer to travel by regional train, you can arrive directly at Torregrotta railway station, just 5 km away, while if you necessarily have to travel by plane to get to Roccavaldina, you can always land atCatania Fontanarossa Airport, from which it is about 130 km.

Its capital Messina it is located about 30 km away, from which you can draw on many other services to move around the area in a practical and fast way.