In the 17th century, during a plague that struck inland Sicily hard, a woman from the town promised Saint Cataldo, bishop and patron, to prepare every year a large doughnut-shaped bread as a votive offering if the epidemic ceased. And so it happened: the plague retreated, and the “’ngiambella” – a ring of leavened dough, seasoned with olive oil and fennel seeds – was distributed to all the faithful gathered in the Mother Church in honor of the saint.
Still today, two quintals of that doughnut are blessed on the morning of May 22nd and broken into thousands of slices, offered to pilgrims as a sign of protection and community unity. The feast comes alive with stalls, folk music, and the evocative procession accompanying the statue of Saint Cataldo through the flowered alleys. It is a unique occasion to savor a simple yet history-filled treat, where devotion and taste meet, celebrating an ancient promise made “with bread and faith” that still today binds the town inseparably to its protector.