Religious festival · Gratteri
Festa di San Giacomo, patron saint of Gratteri
Festa di San Giacomo in Gratteri: the small feast on 25 July and the big one from 7 to 9 September, with the relic and the bearers kneeling under the float.
2026 edition
OverChiesa Madre, main square and streets of the old town, Gratteri
Programme
Closing days with religious services, music, theatre and shows. Programme by the parish priest Don Nicola Crapa, mayor Giacomo Santoro and the committee.
This edition is over. We update the page as soon as the next dates are out.
Source: madoniedintorni.com, checked on 19 October 2026
San Giacomo is the patron saint of Gratteri, and the village celebrates him twice. On 25 July, the saint’s liturgical feast, there is the “small feast”, with a solemn mass and a procession. The big feast runs from 7 to 9 September: on the evening of the 9th the relic and the statue of San Giacomo go out in procession with all the confraternities, and in the square the bearers kneel with the float on their shoulders. In 2026 the closing days were 7, 8 and 9 September.
The programme is signed by the parish priest, the mayor and the feast committee. In 2026 they were the parish priest Don Nicola Crapa and the mayor Giacomo Santoro.
The small feast and the big feast
The feast of San Giacomo begins on 25 July and reaches its peak on 9 September, as Cefalunews wrote in 2018. In July the main moments are the solemn liturgy and the procession. In September the feast lasts three days and combines religious services, music, theatre and shows.
The three days in September
The pattern has been the same for years:
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7 September | opening with firecrackers, the festive ringing of the bells of all the churches and the band going round the village |
| 8 September | in the Chiesa Madre the vigil liturgy with the civil and military authorities and the governors of the historic confraternities; evening concert in the square |
| 9 September | in the evening procession of the relic and the statue along the main streets, blessing with the relic in the square, fireworks and a concert |
The most awaited moment is the blessing in the square. During the blessing with the relic of San Giacomo the bearers of the float, which is heavy, kneel with it on their shoulders, as tradition demands. In 2016 the procession set off at 20:00.
Past editions
The evening concerts change every year. In 2017 the feast, from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 September, closed with fireworks in the square and a concert by Annalisa Minetti. In 2016, from Wednesday 7 to Friday 9, Povia played on the 8th and Roberta Lo Porto on the 9th.
In 2026 the feast was part of Gratteri’s “Vivi l’Estate 2026” programme, which in August also included book presentations, exhibitions and the talk for the twentieth anniversary of the Festival di Musica Antica di Gratteri.
Getting there, where to stay and what to do
Gratteri is about 17 km from Cefalù (under half an hour) and about 68 km from Palermo (1 hour 15), according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap without traffic. The sources do not mention dedicated parking; for the roads see the guide to driving in the Madonie.
To stay the night see where to stay in Gratteri, or nearby Cefalù. Before you set off, check the Gratteri weather. If you stay an extra day, there is the trail from Gratteri to Isnello via Pizzo Dipilo. The village’s other feasts are among the events in Gratteri.
Past editions
Frequently asked questions
- When is San Giacomo celebrated in Gratteri?
- Gratteri celebrates its patron twice. On 25 July, the liturgical feast, there is the "small feast" with a solemn mass and a procession. The big feast runs from 7 to 9 September, with the procession on the 9th: in 2026 it was held on these days, as in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
- What happens on 9 September?
- It is the feast day. In the evening the relic and the statue of San Giacomo go out in procession along the main streets with all the confraternities and the authorities. In the square comes the blessing with the relic, during which the bearers of the heavy float kneel with it on their shoulders. Then fireworks and a concert.
- What happens on 7 and 8 September?
- On 7 September the feast opens with firecrackers, the bells of all the churches and the band going round the village. On 8 September the vigil liturgy is celebrated in the Chiesa Madre with the civil and military authorities and the governors of the historic confraternities; in the evening there is usually a concert in the square.
- Who organises the feast?
- The programme is signed by the parish priest, the mayor and the feast committee (Deputazione dei festeggiamenti) of Gratteri, which every year thanks sponsors, shopkeepers, associations and volunteers. In 2026 they were the parish priest Don Nicola Crapa and the mayor Giacomo Santoro.
- How do you get to Gratteri?
- Gratteri is about 17 km from Cefalù (under half an hour) and about 68 km from Palermo (1 hour 15), according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap without traffic. The sources do not mention dedicated parking for the feast.
