Santa Venera-portosalvo between church, history and festival traditions

Santa Venera-portosalvo offers points of interest for travellers who want to discover Italian culture through churches, religious festivals, historical traditions and archaeological traces. In the Mascali area and in Santa Venera Alta, the topics range from medieval origins to processions and a Nativity scene.

Church and historical traces

The ancient church dedicated to Saint Venera, located in the hills of Santa Venera Alta on the outskirts of Mascali, has medieval origins. In Mascali, the Chiesa di Santa Venera Alta is listed as protected architectural heritage under reference number 92/M/CT-12. The church’s medieval origins stand alongside the history of the Santa Venera priory in the Mascali area, which began with the arrival of the Normans.

Another historical trace is Santa Venera 1 in Mascali, a scatter of Greek pottery finds. The area’s history therefore includes both a religious building and a priory, as well as an archaeological site.

Festivals and religious traditions

The feast of Santa Venera is celebrated on 26 July with the display of the relics for veneration by the faithful and a solemn Mass. During the outdoor celebration, the statue of Santa Venera is carried in procession through the streets of the hilly hamlet. Another procession passes through streets near the Chiesa di Maria SS. Bambina in the Santa Venera district of the Mascali area. The date of the feast in July therefore differs in timing from the winter dates of the Presepe Vivente.

The Presepe Vivente in Santa Venera Alta

The first edition of the Presepe Vivente in Santa Venera Alta took place on 22 and 28 December 2024 and on 6 January 2025, each time from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. All three dates fell in the evening hours. The Presepe Vivente recreated traditions and old crafts. Its route led through scenes of everyday life and ended with a depiction of the Nativity in the historic church dedicated to Saint Venera.

Mascali between the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna

In geographical terms, Santa Venera belongs to the Mascali area. Santa Venera Alta and the Santa Venera district are both located within the Mascali area. The municipality of Mascali covers just under 38 km² and stretches from the Ionian Sea to Mount Etna. A section of the Strada provinciale 2/III “Via Nunziata–Piedimonte” in the Santa Venera area lies between the junction with Via Circonvallazione Santa Venera and the junction with S.P. 72. These two junctions mark the boundaries of the specific road section described within Santa Venera.

Discover more places

Discover more places: Mirabella Imbaccari, Aci Sant'antonio, Calatabiano, Ramacca, Santo Pietro, Carruba, San Giovanni Montebello, Petrosino.

For the broader travel overview: Catania.