The Feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì

San Pancrazio is the only patron saint of Canicattì, in the province of Agrigento. Precisely for this reason it has been organized for years on April 3 the Feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì which is an event designed not only to celebrate the patron but also to make known a territory rich in particularities. Here, then, for those interested in this event, all the information that may be necessary to take part in the feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì.

Description of the feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì

The feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì is a very important moment for the life of the community of the village which for centuries has had a great devotion for the saint. It is a predominantly religious appointment which, however, as often happens in these cases, has intertwined the sacred with the profane over time, given that in addition to the procession that carries around the statue of the saint so that the faithful can homage, there are also numerous stands offering the best of food and wine local, in order to attract a large audience of visitors. The festivity attracts the numerous inhabitants to the village every year who over time have been forced to emigrate elsewhere but who return to participate in the celebrations.

The story linked to the feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì

The story that binds Canicattì to San Pancrazio has very distant origins and would be linked precisely to the foundation of the village: when Andrea De Crescenzio, lord of the town, had the populandi dismissal from the king, he promised land and money to those who would move to live here and thus attracted a large group of inhabitants of Taormina who also imported the cult for their patron saint, namely San Pancrazio. Hence the custom of celebrating the patron saint on the day dedicated to him by Catholic church . Among other things, until 1843, the priests of the Mother Church, dedicated to the saint, took advantage of the patronal feast to request the payment of the trim, a sort of tax, from all the faithful.

When does the feast of San Pancrazio take place?

The feast of San Pancrazio is held every year on 3th April , which is the day on which the patron was born. However, this was not always the date chosen because in ancient times San Pancrazio was celebrated on the day of his martyrdom, which falls on 9 July .

Where the feast of San Pancrazio takes place

The party starts from the church dedicated to the saint, also known as Mother Church . However, it then involves the whole village because the procession carrying the statue of the patron saint touches every point of the town and areas dedicated to stands and shows are organized in all the other areas.

What to do during the feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì

As already underlined, the feast of San Pancrazio in Canicattì manages to mix the sacred and the profane. The celebrations begin with the procession of the statue of the saint which from the Mother Church is carried in procession on the shoulders of the faithful through all the streets of the village, to then return to its natural location where a solemn mass is celebrated.
In the evening, however, visitors are cheered by numerous food and wine stands which offer the best of the local culinary tradition, both sweet and savory, but you can also buy products from handicraft . Finally, there is a rich calendar of shows and other musical and non-musical entertainment.

How to get to Canicattì

Canicattì is located in a strategic position, so it can be easily reached by car from various locations for those wishing to participate in the feast of San Pancrazio.
Those coming from Agrigento or Caltanissetta will only have to take the SS 122 while those coming from Licata will instead have to take the SS123.
Canicattì can also be reached by train, given that there is a railway station in the town which connects the town to Catania and all the nearby towns. Finally, as for all the other Sicilian provinces, the local bus service offered by the AST company is also active here.