Editing Palermo (section)

=== Religion ===

==== Patron saints ====

[[File:GenioPalermoMarabitti.JPG|thumb|[[Genius of Palermo]], the ancient patron of the city]]

The patron saint of Palermo is [[Saint Rosalia]], who is widely revered.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesofsicily.com/festino-santa-rosalia-palermo/ | title=The "Festino" of Santa Rosalia in Palermo | work=Times of Sicily | first=Maria Lina | last=Bommarito | date=13 July 2014 | access-date=16 July 2017}}</ref>

On 14 July, people in Palermo celebrate the annual ''Festino'', the most important religious event of the year. The Festino is a procession that goes through the main street of Palermo to commemorate the miracle attributed to Saint Rosalia who, it is believed, freed the city from the [[Black Death]] in 1624. Her remains were discovered in a cave on Monte Pellegrino, and her remains were carried around the city three times, banishing the plague. There is a [[sanctuary]] marking the spot where her remains were found which can be reached via a scenic bus ride from the city.

Before 1624 Palermo had four [[patron saint]]s, one for each of the four major parts of the city. They were [[Agatha of Sicily|Saint Agatha]], [[Saint Christina of Bolsena|Saint Christina]], [[Tryphon, Respicius, and Nympha|Saint Nympha]] and [[Saint Olivia]].

[[Saint Lucy]] is also honoured with a celebration on 13 December, during which the inhabitants of Palermo do not eat anything made with flour, but boil wheat in its natural state and use it to prepare a special dish called [[cuccìa]]. This commemorates the saving of the city from famine due to a miracle attributed to Saint Lucy; A ship full of grain mysteriously arrived in the city's harbour and the hungry population wasted no time in making flour but ate the grain as it arrived.

[[Saint Benedict the Moor]] is the heavenly protector of the city of Palermo.

The ancient patron of the city was the [[Genius of Palermo]], [[genius loci]] and [[numen]] protector of the place, that became the secular patron of the modern Palermo.<ref>{{in lang|it}} Alberto Samonà. [http://www.inventati.org/amprodias/txt/sicilia/pellegrino.htm ''Il Genio di Palermo e il Monte Pellegrino''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328212102/http://www.inventati.org/amprodias/txt/sicilia/pellegrino.htm |date=28 March 2010 }}. Retrieved 2 September 2010.</ref>