The devotees that must dissolve a vow wear a white habit with a cord around the waist and a black velvet scull cap on their heads. This apparel is worn to remember the episode of the miraculous interruption of the lava flow that the saint’s presence produced during the night, and represents the nightgown worn at the time. These devotees are called “cittadini” (townspeople) and an incredible number of them pull the “fercolo” (silver carriage) with the bust and the reliquary of the Saint through the streets of the city.

the 3rd of February
The offering of wax on behalf of the authorities travelling aboard the antique “Senate Carriage” in grand style to the Church of S. Biagio and from there a solemn procession towards the cathedral.

The 4th of February
At five o’clock in the morning the cathedral doors are opened and an enormous amount of people pour in to assist the extraction of the bust and the reliquary from the crypt. This is a very touching moment because during the ceremony the Saint is invoked with incredible emotion. A solemn pontifical celebration takes place, and then the “fercolo” leaves the cathedral to begin its external tour of the city, which is an extended itinerary of the city. It’s very difficult to say how many people follow the Saint, such a multitude is beyond imagination, and along the route the balconies are illuminated and adorned with flowers. Various stops are made for firework displays that are a phantasmagoria and certainly noisier every year. The procession is articulated under a succession of illuminated arches that transform night into day. The procession terminates around midnight and the Saint is returned to the cathedral. The next day at about 18:00 the internal tour of the city commences. It proceeds along via Etnea, which is the principal road that runs through the entire centre of the city. When the Saint is positioned outside the cathedral you have the first taste of the many firework displays that will continue during the course of the long night. The slow procession resumes following the same procedure as the previous day, and an infinite crowd follow the Saint with their incessant offerings of wax. All along the route you are accompanied by the intense perfume of torrone that is prepared here and there on the stalls where you can also find the classic sweets of the feast called “Olivette of Sant’Agata”. The balconies of the buildings are illuminated and full of people waiting for the procession to pass, ready then to consume the lavish suppers that are prepared for the occasion. It is impossible to describe the atmosphere. It is an event of such importance from a religious and folkloristic viewpoint that it surely has few equals in the world. It would not be wrong to compare the participation and devotion to that of the holy week in Seville. The procession terminates late morning after the somewhat dangerous but very striking climb of via San Giuliano where devotees have been frequently injured. Every year the feast ends later than the year before, because the townspeople are very fond of the Saint and want to have her with them as long as possible, then with great reluctance they detach themselves until the following year.