She’s Palermo ’s Patron Saint, where she was born about in 1132, daughter of the count Sinibaldo, Quisquinia, and Maria Guiscarda related to Ruggero II,  the Norman king.

We haven’t knowledge about her childhood; probably she was educated inside a monastery of the Basiliane nuns.

At 18 years old she was lady at court of the princess Margherita of Navarra.

A Milord, the count Baldovino, wanted to take marry her, but Rosalia refused him with determination.

In 1154 she left the Norman court and she went to live inside a cave of the father’s feud, to devote her life to God.

After her father’s death, she reached Mount Pellegrino , near Palermo .

Here, two cells were erected, where Rosalia lived after the vow of enclosure until her death, 4^th September 1166 .

Her body was put down inside a rock sepulchre, in the cave of M.Pellegrino .

The people proclaimed her Saint and celebrate her feast on 4^th September.

She is called the “Santuzza” (the young saint).

She was honoured for a long time but then the devotion faded, until a woman, in 1624, dreamed the Saint  who showed her the way to her relics.

After the excavations they were found under a rock the 15^th July 1624 .

In the meantime there was the black plague in Palermo . A man dreamed the Saint and she said that the pest would end if the relics were taken around Palermo . In so doing it is believed the

There haven’t been new cases of plague since 15^th July 1625 because St Rosalia protects this city.

Rosalia was proclaimed Palermo ’s Patron Saint, and a feast “U FISTINU” is celebrated on 15^th July every year. Now the cave is a sanctuary where there is a statue of Saint Rosalia.

St. Rosalia’s celebrations are characteristic and sumptuous. The biggest moment is the procession with the silvery urn; it contains, in fact, Rosalia’s relics. All the streets are illuminated and  at the end of the day,  there are great  fireworks on the waterfront with vendors selling all sorts of typical Palermitan specialties..