Today the Church, and specifically the city of Palermo, celebrates Saint Rosalia, the 12th-century virgin and hermit known to all as ‘la Santuzza’. A noble maiden who lived at the court of the Norman King Roger, Rosalia chose to renounce earthly comforts and riches to dedicate herself completely to a life of contemplative prayer and rigorous isolation in a cave on Monte Pellegrino. Her figure is inextricably linked to the history of Palermo: in 1624, the miraculous discovery of her relics put an end to a devastating plague epidemic that was decimating the population. Since then, the bond between the citizenry and its patron saint has remained unbreakable, renewing itself every year through memories of faith, hope, and a deep devotion that spans the centuries.
