Santa Rosalia Feast is one of the most famous and popular feast in Palermo. On the night of 14th July. The "Santuzza", the term of endearment used by the locals to invoke the Patron Saint, is carried triumphantly on an enormous wagon conveying the grandiosity of Palermo, an immense ship-stern with numerous musicians on board

1. ISTITUTO MAGISTRALE STATALE “REGINA MARGHERITA” - PALERMO
Patron Saint’s festival in
Palermo
COMENIUS PROJECT “DISCOVERING EACH OTHER”
MEETING IN TARSUS (TURKEY) 30 TH SEPTEMBER - 05 TH OCTOBER
2013

2. The legend of Santa
Rosalia
Santa Rosalia (1130-1166), was a noble lady, born Rosaria Sinibaldi
from a Norman family that claimed descent from Charlemagne. She
lived her life as a hermit in a cave in Mount Pellegrino in Palermo.
M. Bellanti
2013
The sanctuary of Santa Rosalia, in Mount Pellegrino, is a traditional
sicilian pilgrimage. Tradition says that she was led to the cave by two
angels.
According to the legend in 1624 a horrible plague haunted Palermo:
one night a soap-maker, Vincenzo Bonello, had a vision in a dream
of Rosalia: she ordered him to bring her bones to Palermo and have
them carried in procession through the city. In this way will end the
plague, she said. And so did.

3. M. Bellanti
2013
Iconography of Santa
Rosalia

4. 15th July :The Feast of Saint
Rosalia
The peak of the celebration, locally known as the "festino", takes
place on 14th and 15th July.
M. Bellanti
2013
It is a major social and religious event that involves all the town's
Confraternite, the oldest of which, known as the "Confraternita di
Santa Rosalia dei Sacchi", formed by the barbers and shoemakers of
Palermo, was founded in 1635.
Hundreds of thousands between faithful and tourists attend the
feast, consisting of a main procession and numerous entertaining
shows.

5. The triumphal wagon
M. Bellanti
2013
On the night of 14th July. The "Santuzza", the term of
endearment used by the locals to invoke her, is carried
triumphantly on an enormous wagon conveying the grandiosity
of Palermo, an immense ship-stern with numerous musicians
on board

6. The holy procession
M. Bellanti
2013
A holy procession forms in front of the Palazzo dei Normanni, seat of
the Sicilian Regional Assembly, and through the wonderful historical
centre of palermo, the narrow arab streets, the wonderful baroque
squares, cafè and bar full of persons and foods it reaches the
seaside, where the "fuochi di gioia", a triumphal fireworks display
rises over the sea.

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2013

8. Traditional street foods
M. Bellanti
2013
The celebration is also an opportunity to enjoy
traditional street foods : the "pasta con le sarde”
(pasta with sardines), “sfincione”, a local type of
pizza, “stigghiola” boiled beaf interior, boiled
octopus and refreshing watermelonand, pumpkin
seeds locally known as “calia e simenza” and the
"babbaluci" (boiled snails flavoured with garlic and
parsley”.

9. I Babbaluci (Snails)
In Sicily snails make their most prominent culinary appearance during the
Summer for the Feast of Saint Rosalie, Palermo's patron saint. The Sicilian name for the
tiny but tasty snails is babbaluci, a word that comes to us from the Arabic. In
Maltese, actually Siculo-Arabic, the word is bebbux.
It is possible that ground snails became a popular food during Sicily's Arab
period, but they were certainly consumed here long before the ninth century.
M. Bellanti
2013
Snails are boiled in salt water, following a day soaking in cold water or perhaps
a container of flour. They are served with a condiment made of finely-diced celery
stalk, parsley, garlic and lightly sautéed in olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper. But
the Sicilian snails are not removed from their tiny shells as easily as the French
escargots. Instead, toothpicks are used.

10. The Fireworks : From death to
lifethe sea, passing through the Porta
The procession finally making its way to
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2013
Felice, as if crossing from death to life as the celebrations culminate with a
magnificent fireworks show on the banks of the sea!

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2013
Timelapse