May is one of the best times to experience Mount Etna. If you’ve never been to our volcano this month, do it now, in these first two weeks. Besides admiring the flower-filled forests, the fragrant lava slopes, and the snowdrifts still at the top, you can attend some of the most beautiful festivals. In May, many religious traditions enliven the volcano’s towns, and the most captivating is certainly that of Saints Alfio, Cirino and Filadelfo.

The Three Holy Brothers

Alfio, Cirino and Filadelfo were three brothers who lived in Puglia in the 3rd century AD and were martyred in the name of Christ on May 10th, 253. Having converted to Christianity despite imperial persecution, the three young men escaped condemnation thanks to their noble lineage and were instead sent into exile in Sicily. Upon arriving on the island, the Roman prefects attempted once again to convince them to abandon their faith, but given the brothers’ determination, they were ultimately sentenced to death. From Taormina, they were taken in chains to Lentini (near Syracuse) – where a terrible and violent end awaited them. Along the way, they stopped in various villages on Etna. These villages still commemorate that holy passage between late April and mid-May. The celebrations are heartfelt, intense, and moving. Even an atheist tourist will appreciate the beauty of these rituals.

The Feast of Sant’Alfio

The first village to celebrate the Three Saints is Sant’Alfio, a marvelous panoramic balcony on the eastern flank of Etna. Located along the road connecting Linguaglossa to Zafferana Etnea, it is so much a part of the volcano that it boasts a main church’s façade entirely made of rough lava rock, inlaid with red terracottas.

The feast here begins on the last Sunday of April with the bonfire known as “la Dera”. It continues for two weeks, until the second Sunday of May. The first Sunday of May is the central moment of the festival, celebrated starting at 10:00 a.m. with a solemn mass, followed in the afternoon by the “procession of the Vara” (the float bearing the statues of the saints), to which the people dedicate moving songs called “Cantata”.

The Trecastagni Festival

The town of Trecastagni also owes its name to the three saints (Tre Casti Agnelli – three pure lambs), and has dedicated them a beautiful sanctuary, located in a large square with a panoramic view of Mount Etna.

Here, the feast of the three saints begins on May 1st and ends on the 17th. During these two weeks, anyone from any corner of the district can go in a procession to the sanctuary, but the most evocative spectacle occurs on the night between May 9th and 10th (the day of the feast). During the darkest hours, several processions set out together from neighboring towns and even farther afield (Catania, Bronte, Ragalna, Paternò, etc.) toward Trecastagni. Everyone—men, women, and children too —walks up to 30 km, braving the cold and car traffic! That night, the volcano fills with long lines of flame created by candles and tapers that—like lava—flow down to the valley and gather together in front of the Church of the Three Saints.

The religious part of the festival, with its mass and procession, is complemented by a folk element, that is the parade of colorful Sicilian carts which takes place on May 10th.

Lentini Festival

Lentini, site of the martyrdom of the saints, is far from Etna… in the district of Syracuse… but it offers stunning views of the volcano anyway. Here, the celebration begins on May 1st and ends on the 10th. The ceremony includes a novena (nine masses) both at the Main Church and at the Church of the Three Saints (or “The Fountain”), built on the site where the three brothers were martyred.

The first procession takes place on May 9th, culminating the following morning with a solemn mass and the “second lap” of the procession, which passes through the ancient San Paolo neighborhood, Piazza Umberto, the Church of the Holy Trinity, St Marziano. The saints return to their church at dawn the next day, and the celebration concludes with the ringing of bells, fireworks, and the cry of the devotees: “God willing, we will see you next year!”

If you find yourself in Lentini, in addition to the celebration and the views of Mount Etna, you can enjoy the beautiful artificial lake of Biviere where—during this very month—dozens of migratory bird species rest among the trees and reeds on the shore. (PHOTOS G MUSUMECI)