Santuario di Santa Rosalia — Monte Pellegrino

The story

Rosalia Sinibaldi, a young woman of noble family, according to tradition left the Norman court in the 12th century to live as a hermit in a cave on Monte Pellegrino, where she died around 1166.

In 1624, while plague was ravaging Palermo, her bones were found in the cave and carried in procession through the city; the plague ceased and Rosalia became the patron saint. The sanctuary was built the following year inside the cavity itself: the church is the cave, with water seeping from the walls and collected in metal channels.

Every year the Festino of 14 July celebrates her with a triumphal float along the Cassaro, and on 4 September people from Palermo climb on foot to the sanctuary. Goethe, in 1787, called Monte Pellegrino the most beautiful promontory in the world.

Why it is worth it

Inside it is cool and dripping, and candlelight plays on the rock: this is a church nature built before the masons did. You see the statue of Rosalia lying down, covered in gold and ex-votos, and locals talking to her as to a member of the family. Then you step out onto the belvedere: the city, the port, Mondello and the sea from 400 metres up, all at once.