The patroness of Paternò is Saint Barbara, celebrated on 4 December in the sanctuary dedicated to her, seat of the parish of the same name in the archdiocese of Catania. The saint is also patroness of firefighters, the Navy, miners and artillerymen, for her link with protection from fire and sudden dangers.
A distinctive feature of the feast are the cerei — called varette here — which go ahead of the float in the three processions, and parade already in the days before. One of the most important stops on the route is the church of the Madonna dell'Itria, in the Itria-Falconieri quarter: built in the 16th century and fitted out in 1642, it was originally dedicated precisely to Saint Barbara, the town's patroness, as well as being the seat of the knights of the Teutonic order. Its lava-stone portal was deliberately built tall, to let the saint's great float pass through.
