Three days of  cult, devotion, folklore, and tradition, that stand almost alone in the world.

There are only few days until the most awaited Feast by the people from Catania: the Feast of St. Agatha, the third most important religious feast is just around the corner.

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Only the Holy Week in Seville, and the corpus Domini ceremony in Cuzco, Peru, may be compared in terms of popularity, to the festivities that since five centuries bave immutably been held in St. Agatha's honour. For three days, Catanians and tourists swarm in the streets, numbering to almost a million. During those intense days, Catania turns into one and only crowd marching behind the Patron.

The first day is devoted to the procession of the candelori, 11 enormous candles integrated in gilded baroque coffers, weighing up to 1000 kg and transported by the faithful. On the morning of February 4th, the procession of the relics begins, the chariot of the patron saint being drawn by devotees dressed in the traditional white bag and velvet black beret shouting "Long live Agathe! ". On the 5th of February, a real procession takes place, a new procession is organized, this time with the shrine of the saint once again visiting the city: from Piazza Duomo, passing Via Etnea to undertake the 'cchianata' di San Giuliano and reach the beautiful Via Crociferi.

 It is really a big party, full of color and music, which attracts every year tens of thousands of pilgrims, devotees, tourists and curious people from all over Sicily! Traditionally, during the holidays, the local pastry is enriched with, among its specialties, the minni of Sant'Agata (the breasts of Sainte Agathe), a sort of small frozen domes surmounted by a cherry, reminiscent of martyrdom Of the saint.

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