Qibla · Sicily
Qibla direction in Catania
To face the Kaaba in Catania, turn to 120.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (30.0° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,974 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Catania should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Catania as a needle at 120.0°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 120°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Catania
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 30.0° towards south: the result is the bearing of 120.0°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 30° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Catania, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Catania to Mecca points to 126.9° (south-east), 6.9° away from the correct 120.0°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 6 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 120.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 37.4922° N, 15.0704° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Catania to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,974 km from Catania as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,738 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h, although most pilgrims from Catania connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Catania run 2 hours behind Mecca in winter and 1 hour behind Mecca in summer, because of daylight saving time. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Catania rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Catania
On 316 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Catania while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 1 February 2027 it happens at 07:59 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Catania during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 07:59 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 08:18 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 08:37 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 08:54 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 10:15 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:31 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:50 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:05 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:21 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:30 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:12 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:53 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 10:25 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 10:00 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:31 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 09:07 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 07:41 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 07:24 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Catania: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Catania compared with other cities
Compared with Rome, 536 km away, the Qibla in Catania is turned 3.3° further anticlockwise (120.0° against 123.3°), and Mecca is 443 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Syracuse, Sicily, Italy (50 km), prays towards 119.5°, a difference of 0.4°.
Across the 42 cities in Italy on this site, the Qibla ranges from 115.2° in Cagliari to 130.0° in Trieste, a spread of 14.8°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Italy.
Qibla in cities near Catania
Qibla in Catania: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Catania?
It is 120.0° from true north, which is south-east: 30.0° south of east.
How far is Catania from Mecca?
2,974 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,738 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Catania?
On 316 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Catania not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 126.9°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Catania at 120.0°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 120.0° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.