On 4th September each year, the people of Palermo celebrate the feast day of their beloved patron, Saint Rosalia. She is affectionately known as “La Santuzza” or “the Little Saint.”
This celebration, marked by processions, fireworks, and devotion, commemorates a saint whose life and miracles left an indelible mark on the city of Palermo, Sicily. Saint Rosalia’s story is one of faith, piety, and divine intervention, intertwined with a miraculous ending of a deadly plague that ravaged Palermo in the 17th century.
The Life of Saint Rosalia
Saint Rosalia, born in 1130 to a noble Norman family, was the daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Quisquina and Rosa, a woman of notable lineage. According to tradition, Rosalia was a descendant of Charlemagne, which gave her a distinguished place in the royal court of Sicily.
Despite her privileged upbringing, Rosalia chose a life of solitude and piety over the comforts of the palace. Inspired by her deep devotion to God and influenced by the hermitic tradition, she retreated to the wilderness of Monte Pellegrino, a rugged mountain that overlooks the city of Palermo. There, she lived as a hermit in a cave, dedicating her life to prayer and penance.
Her solitary existence on Monte Pellegrino continued until her death in 1166, and her life of quiet devotion remained relatively unknown to the public for centuries. However, Rosalia’s story would resurface in a powerful way during one of Palermo’s darkest chapters.
The Plague of Palermo and the Miraculous Intervention
In 1624, Palermo was gripped by a devastating outbreak of the plague, which spread rapidly and claimed thousands of lives. The situation was dire. The people were desperate, and the city’s leaders sought divine intervention to halt the relentless spread of the disease. It was in this context of suffering and fear that Saint Rosalia’s role in saving Palermo began to unfold.
According to legend, Rosalia appeared in a vision to a hunter named Vincenzo Bonelli. In this vision, she revealed the location of her remains in the cave on Monte Pellegrino. She instructed Bonelli to bring her bones into the city and carry them in a procession. She promised that if this was done, the plague would cease.
Bonelli, guided by faith, climbed the steep slopes of Monte Pellegrino and discovered the remains just as she had described. When the relics of Saint Rosalia were carried in procession through the streets of Palermo, the plague began to subside. Within days, the city witnessed a remarkable recovery, and the plague soon ended.
Rosalia’s Elevation to Patron Saint of Palermo
Grateful for their deliverance, the people of Palermo declared Saint Rosalia their patron saint. The citizens of Palermo began an annual celebration of her feast day on 4th September, known as “U Fistinu”. This joyous occasion features a mix of religious and secular festivities. It includes a procession in which a silver statue of Saint Rosalia is carried through the streets, accompanied by music, dancing, and the ringing of church bells.
Her sanctuary on Monte Pellegrino became a pilgrimage site where believers sought her intercession for healing and protection. The cave where she lived is adorned with religious icons and candles. It still attracts pilgrims who come to seek solace and offer prayers.
Her image is omnipresent in Palermo, from statues that adorn public squares to paintings in the city’s churches.
The annual feast of Saint Rosalia, held each September, brings the city alive with celebration. Locals and visitors alike participate in traditional processions, concerts, and feasts, reaffirming their devotion to “La Santuzza”.
2024 celebrates the deliverance from the plague 400 years ago. The celebrations culminate in a spectacular fireworks display over the port of Palermo, lighting up the night sky.
