The main event of the Feast of Santa Rosalia is “il festino” on July 14. Il festino is a mix of folklore, religion, street food, socializing, and modern events such as art exhibitions and concerts. The city of Palermo swings into holiday mode, and after lunch, the Center’s streets are designated for foot traffic only….
Tag: festa di santa rosalia
It was 1624, and Palermo was Under Siege
During the late spring and summer of 1624, Palermo was under siege, but it wasn’t another foreign invader that was the perpetrator. This time it was a plague that afflicted more than 10,000 inhabitants. Things were looking pretty bleak until in early July, when a lost hunter had a vision: Santa Rosalia appeared to him…
Santa Rosalia before 1624
Before 1624, Santa Rosalia (1130-1166) was a little-known, medieval-era saint. Her story is often compared to Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) because she too was the daughter of a Norman nobleman, who rejected a life of privilege and instead sought a life devoted to prayer and solitude. During her lifetime, Palermo and Sicily experienced an…
Palermitani Line Up on Il Festino
On the day of the Feast of Santa Rosalia, July 15, Palermitani line up to get their babbaluce. And if you are nice to the vendor–who is often at his special babbaluce stand right on the street–he might agree to let you take his picture!
Babbaluce Sounds Like a Song, But It’s…
“Babbaluce Belle Pronte” is music to the ears of revelers of the Feast of Santa Rosalia. (Beautiful and Ready to Eat Snails!) For Il Festino, which takes place annually on July 14 and 15, enjoying steamed snails tossed with garlic, olive oil, and fresh Italian parsley is a must.