Millenium at the heart of the Festino di Santa Rosalia in Palermo

Every year, Palermo celebrates Saint Rosalia, the city’s patron saint, with a major procession that brings several hundred thousand people into the streets of the Sicilian capital.

Born Rosalia Sinibaldi, Saint Rosalia lived in the 12th century, during the Norman period in Sicily. A member of an illustrious Norman family in Sicily related to King Roger II, her life is closely linked to the history of the Norman dynasty.

This heritage naturally found its place at the heart of the 2026 Festino, dedicated to the figure of “Rosalia the Norman”.

This theme ran throughout the celebrations, reflected in the architecture, costumes and different sequences of the performance.

At the heart of the procession, the triumphal float designed by architect Mario Cucinella brought references to Norman architecture into dialogue with Arab gardens. Visual arts, music, dance, theatre and craftsmanship also punctuated the five stages of the route through Palermo.

Through this edition, the Festino heralded the Millenium celebrations in Southern Italy and the programme being prepared for 2027.

Sicily will be one of the partner regions of the European Year of the Normans. Several projects are already being prepared, including the exhibition in Southern Italy of the Pirou Embroidery, which recounts the Norman conquest of Italy.

From Normandy to Sicily, a shared history that will continue to unfold in 2027.