The City of Catania suffered several damaging and unfortunate events in the seventeenth century; among them, the eruption of 1669 and the catastrophic earthquake of 11 January 1693, which destroyed almost the entire city.

Two legends are linked to this terrible cataclysm: the legend of "DonArcaloro" and the other of "Bishop Carafa”.

The first of these two legends tells of the morning of the 10th of January, 1693 when, a feared and famous local witch went to the Baron Don Arcaloro Scammacca of Catania’s palace and, in her recognisably shrill voice, ordered Don Arcaloro to appear at the window. She explained that she needed to relay information of utmost urgency and importance: it was a matter of life and death!

The servants would not let her pass but Don Arcaloro, knowing her type, let her enter.

The old witch told the Baron that during the night she had dreamt of Sant'Agata begging the Lord to save her city from the earthquake.

But the Lord refused to grant her wish, because of the grave sins committed by the people of Catania. The Lord spoke of a prophecy: "Don Arcaloru, Don Arcaloru, dumani. A vintin’ura, a Catania s'abballa senzasonu". ("Don Arcaloru, Don Arcaloru, tomorrow at 8 o’clock Catania will be dancing in silence".)

The cautious Baron understood immediately what "dancing in silence" Catania would endure; and having lavishly rewarded the old witch, he fled to the countryside, where he waited for the fatal hour. At the time predicted by the witch, the earthquake took place with its catastrophic consequences.

The second legend, relevant to the earthquake of 1693, is that concerning the Bishop Francesco Carafa, who ruled the secular authority of Catania from 1687 to 1692.

The legend dictates that this good bishop, with his fervent praying, was twice able to rid his beloved city of the risks of earthquake.
But in 1692 he died, and the following year, since his prayers were no longer made, Catania was destroyed by the earthquake.