Sant'Agata, patron saint of Catania (and not only), is one of the most loved and celebrated holy martyrs of the Catholic church. Born and lived in III century AD in the city of Etna, it is venerated throughout Italy and also abroad, for example a Malta. Every year from the 3 5 February (day of his death), the Feast of Sant'Agata, to celebrate their sanctity, to which every inhabitant of the city is very devoted. On this occasion, a silver fercolo is carried in procession which holds the relics of Sant'Agata. Her life was marked by atrocious sufferings, but also by great strength of spirit, which never made her abandon her faith, even in the face of her death.

History of Sant'Agata

Despite theSeptember 8th is considered the birth day of Sant'Agata there are no historical sources that report this date exactly. Other accredited sources would place the year of birth instead, between 229 and 235 AD The young Agata, born of a noble Catanese family of Christian faith, at the age of 15 exposed her will to consecrate yourself to God. Accepted the request during the veiled, the young woman wore the white tunic and red veil (flammeum), as is the custom for consecrated virgins. In 249 AD the Roman emperor Decius ordered the persecution of Christians who did not want to publicly repudiate their faith by sending the prefect Quinziano in Catania, to carry out the order. Agata took refuge in Galermo (district of Catania, today San Giovanni Galermo) with the family, but once found by the Roman soldiers, she was brought back to the city.

Saint Peter appears to Sant'Agata in prison (Giovanni Lanfranco) - National Gallery of Parma
Saint Peter appears to Sant'Agata in prison (Giovanni Lanfranco) - National Gallery of Parma

Quinziano, finding himself in front of the young virgin, immediately fell in love with her. Agata resisted Quinziano's approaches, even when her prefect placed her in the hands of the courtesan. Aphrodisias, to initiate her into earthly pleasures. After a month of unsuccessful attempts, Aphrodisia returned it to Quinziano. Fed up with the girl, the latter began a trial accompanied by atrocious torture, which more than bending Agata, ne they strengthened the spirit and faith in God. Quinziano did tear the breasts of the young woman with pincers (Christian iconography shows Agata holding her breasts in a plate and some pliers). She led back to her cell, she appeared to her San Pietro who healed his wounds Sant'Agata then came condemned to the stake, but an earthquake interrupted its execution. Shortly after, Sant'Agata died a martyr in prison, he was the February 5, 251 AD.

Palermo or Catania?

Although today there are no doubts about the Catania origins of Sant'Agata, a controversy arose related to the birthplace of the saint. Ganormus (or Galermus) is in fact very similar to Panormus (or Palermus). This made one think of a transliteration error between G and P, the correct version is the one concerning Galermo. According to some sources, moreover, Sant'Agata took refuge in Palermo to escape Quinziano, but was found anyway. According to legend, he stopped before leaving the city to fasten a shoe and there he left his mark on a stone. In that exact spot today Porta Sant'Agata, the Palermitans had a church built in honor of the virgin from Catania.

Porta Sant'Agata in Palermo.
Porta Sant'Agata - Photo: © Effems - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0 License)

Worship in Malta

In addition to being the patron saint of Catania, Sant'Agata is also patroness of Malta. Also during the persecution of the emperor Decius, according to some sources, Agata fled for a short time on the island of Malta, taking refuge in a cave in Rabat. There the virgin taught the children the Christian faith. That cave later became a crypt and was called "Chapel of Sant'Agata". The crypt, adorned with Byzantine frescoes, is today one of the most visited places of worship in Malta.

Sant'Agata in Gallipoli and Galatina

The story of the virgin Agata is also intertwined with the city of Gallipoli. Unlike Palermo or Malta, Agata never passed through the Apulian city, but this story is about hers relics. In 1040, after a "diplomatic incident" with a member of the imperial house of Constantinople, George Maniace, general of the Byzantine army during the expedition to Sicily, stole the relics of Sant'Agata da Catania and took them to Constantinople. 86 years later, the Byzantine soldiers Gisliberto e Goselm (of French and Apulian origin) managed to steal the relics to bring them back to Catania.

Legend has it that it was the same Saint who appeared to the two in a dream so that her remains would return to their homeland. During the voyage from Constantinople to the Etnean city, the ship stopped in Puglia, where the two left a relic (one of the breasts of Sant'Agata). The virgin of Catania appeared in a dream to a woman from Gallipoli, saying that her son was holding something between his lips. Waking up she saw that this was true, but she could not get him to open his mouth. Desperate she went to the bishop and only when the name of Sant'Agata was pronounced did the child open his mouth, from which the saint's breast came out. This relic remained in Gallipoli by 1126 to 1389, when it was brought to Galatina (where it is still preserved).

Relic of the breast of Sant'Agata in Galatina
Photo: © Circolo Cittadino S.Agata (Facebook page)

Miracles

There are many miracles associated with Sant'Agata in Catania. In fact, the virgin saved the city several times from the rivers of lava from Etna, from the earthquake from the plague, but also from thesiege of the Moors and Frederick II of Swabia. The first miracle dates back to a year after his death, in 252 AD, stopping the eruption of Etna. This miracle was followed by others 14 of the same type (the last in 1886). On every occasion, to stop the lava, the people of Catania have carried in procession the veil of Sant'Agata. In 1576 and in 1743 Catania was hit twice by the plague. The plague ceased only after the procession through the streets of the city with the relics of the Saint.

Minni of Sant'Agata

As often happens, the saints are not dedicated to churches or festivals or cities, but also sweets (especially linked to feast days). This is the case of the "minne of Sant'Aita"(Minne Di Sant'Agata), of the typical cassatine of Catania, which recall the breasts torn from the saint during her martyrdom. Semi-spherical shaped cake, made of shortcrust pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese, candied fruit, chocolate chips and covered with a white icing and a candied cherry, this specialty was also mentioned in "The Leopard"of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, as profane caricature of Sant'Agata. Fortunately the Holy Office (to always quote Tomasi di Lampedusa) has never prohibited them and today they can be found in every pastry shop in Catania, not only on the occasion of feast of Sant'Agata, but all year round.

Minne Di Sant'Agata
Photo: © Stefano Mortellaro from Catania - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0 License)

That of Sant'Agata is a very distant cult, lasting despite the passing of the centuries. The virgin who he never gave up on God, even in the face of atrocious suffering, is the sign of how the faith can win over everything and to endure even the most atrocious of pains. We should not be surprised if the people of Catania (and not only) love their sanctuity so much, that several times it saved the city from possible tragedies. Long live Catania and Sant'Agata, the young woman with the strongest spirit of the Etna lava.

Sant'Agata, the Catania sanctuary: history and curiosities last edit: 2022-02-03T09:00:00+01:00 da Antonello Ciccarello

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