Celebrations in Honor of the Most Holy Crucifix

An ancient devotion in the heart of the Madonie

The Celebrations in Honor of the Most Holy Crucifix represent the most anticipated moment of the year for Lascari, a village overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast at the foot of the Madonie mountains, in the province of Palermo, Sicily. Devotion to the Crucified Jesus is deeply rooted in the community, which participates with great emotional involvement in the early July celebrations. The heart of the festival is the precious wooden statue of the Crucifix, a sculpture in ebonized cypress wood by an unknown artist, housed in the Mother Church of San Michele Arcangelo.

The legend of the Crucifix

According to popular tradition, a shepherd from Gratteri carved the Crucifix inside a cave. Having fallen asleep, he dreamt that Jesus told him his face appeared too afflicted; upon waking, he found "the face of the Crucifix carved" and fled in fear. Twelve people discovered it and attempted to transport it to Gratteri, but the image became increasingly heavy: it was thus deposited in Lascari, where it has remained ever since as a symbol of the town's identity.

The octave and the "sciacculata"

Religious celebrations are preceded by an octave of evening processions called the "sciacculata": every evening, the small Crucifix is carried in procession through the village streets, accompanied by an evocative torchlight parade and the singing of the "Laudi a Gesù Crocifisso." It is an intimate and shared moment that involves the various districts and neighborhoods of Lascari.

The solemn days

The Sunday of the festival is divided into several meaningful moments:

• The alborata at dawn, greeted by the brass band;
• the floral offering of the "Mazzu" to the Most Holy Crucifix;
• the solemn mass with the participation of civil and military authorities and the offering of the votive lamp by the Mayor;
• in the afternoon, the solemn procession of the large Crucifix, accompanied by a relic of the Holy Cross in a silver reliquary.

The twelve barefoot Apostles

The most moving moment is the procession of the statue, carried on the shoulders of twelve barefoot men, the so-called "Apostles," dressed in white with a red sash at the waist and a cross sewn on the left side of their chest. This privilege is passed down "from father to son" through generations, a sign of a vow and a bond that runs through the town's families. The festival concludes at midnight with a grand fireworks display.