Celebrations in Honor of the Holy Crucifix (Holy Crucifix Festival)

A festival preserving four centuries of devotion

The Celebrations in Honor of the Holy Crucifix represent the most deeply felt religious and cultural event in Palazzo Adriano, a picturesque village in the province of Palermo, Sicily. Here, the festival is more than just a liturgical appointment: it is the living memory of an Arbëreshë community, descendants of Albanian refugees who settled in the village in the late 15th century. To this day, they preserve the Greek-Byzantine rite, as well as a unique language, traditions, and songs that are unparalleled in the Sicilian landscape.

The 1639 gilded Vara

At the heart of the devotion is the precious processional Vara, a finely carved wooden structure covered in gold leaf, dating back to 1639 and attributed to the Marabitti school. Adorned with flowers and lights, it is carried in procession through the streets of the historic center on the evening of August 16th, accompanied by the statues of the Madonna delle Grazie and Saint Nicholas of Myra, amidst a crowd of moved faithful and locals who have returned to their hometown from all over the world.

The sixteen-day program

The festivities begin on August 1st, the day commemorating the arrival of the Arbëreshë in Palazzo Adriano. At dawn, on the Montagna delle Rose and at the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Grazia, the ancient and nostalgic Albanian song "O e bukurà Morè" resonates, a poignant reminder of their homeland. In the evening, in Piazza Umberto I, the famous Cuccia Festival takes place: the "cuccia"—prepared with wheat, fava beans, chickpeas, and cooked wine—is blessed and distributed, marking the beginning of the Byzantine Lent of the Assumption.

• August 1st to 14th: Divine Liturgy in the morning and the singing of the Paraklisis in the evening, according to the Greek-Byzantine rite.
• August 13th: "Piazza in Festa" evening with music, folk performances, and gastronomic tastings.
• August 14th: Solemn Vespers and Enkomia with the procession of the Epitaphios.
• August 15th, Ferragosto: Traditional procession of the statues toward the Mother Church.
• August 16th: The culminating day with the procession of the Holy Crucifix Vara.

A cinematic village

Palazzo Adriano is also famous for being the main set of the Oscar-winning film Cinema Paradiso by Giuseppe Tornatore: its scenic Piazza Umberto I, with its two facing churches—one of Latin rite and one of Greek rite—provides the backdrop for the most solemn moments of the festival. Experiencing the Holy Crucifix celebrations means immersing yourself in a heritage of faith, history, and Arbëreshë identity that has endured for centuries.

Traditional flavors

During the festival days, the historic center comes alive with the aromas and flavors of Sicilian and Arbëreshë cuisine: in addition to the ritual cuccia, the streets host food stalls, traditional sweets, and local specialties that accompany the great popular participation.