This year marks the 399th Festino of Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo, or in Sicilian u fistinu, to remember the moment when the Saint saved the city from the plague.
Much loved by the Palermitans, who affectionately call her the Santuzza, the city is full of votive altars dedicated to her and even some graffiti or other street art display that modernizes her image.
However Rosalia was not always the patron saint of Palermo, in fact it was this miracle that made her the sole and absolute patron saint, ousting all the others. Yes, “others” in plural. Because, strangely enough, Palermo used to have no more and no less than four saints, Agata, Cristina, Ninfa and Oliva, who can still be seen today in the four niches of the Quattro Canti.
The city celebrates its patron saint on the night of July 14th with an all-out celebration, which makes us wonder why they call it "Festino", which in Italian means “small feast”. Perhaps it is an affectionate name because the feast is by no means small!
The carriage that carries the Saint crosses the city from the Cathedral to the sea, making nine stops enlivened with music or small theatrical performances and ending in big fireworks until late into the night.
Throughout the day, in addition to the Santa, the other main protagonist is of course the food. Along with the traditional street food such as sfincione or pane con la milza, which can be found regularly, or calia e simenza, a preparation of chickpeas and pumpkin seeds, traditional of all Sicilian festivities, the most special food of the Festino is undoubtedly the babbaluci.
The babbaluci are snails cooked and seasoned with garlic, parsley, oil, salt and pepper. Palermitans love them and in the few remaining stores that make them there are long lines to buy them. Of course, there are other Palermitans who loathe them and others who challenge you to eat them only with the skill of your mouth and without using a toothpick... Do you want to try?
