Feast of Saint Calogero the Hermit (u Riccu) and Bread Pupi Festival

Saint Calogero, the patron saint of Campofranco

Every year, on the last Sunday of July, the small town of Campofranco, in the province of Caltanissetta, gathers around its patron saint for the Feast of Saint Calogero the Hermit, popularly known as the "u Riccu" (the rich one) festival, to distinguish it from minor celebrations. It is the most important event of the year for the local community, a moment where religious devotion, folklore, and gastronomy merge into one great popular celebration.

A devotion born from the 1693 earthquake

The cult of Saint Calogero in Campofranco dates back to January 11, 1693, the day of the terrible earthquake that devastated much of south-eastern Sicily. The people of Campofranco credit the saint with sparing their town from ruin, and ever since, they have invoked him as a protector against all evils, both physical and spiritual. The statue depicts the saint as a monk with a gentle face, wearing a white robe and a black cloak, holding a silver staff donated by the Lucchesi Princes in the 19th century. In 2012, the Sanctuary of Saint Calogero was elevated to a Diocesan Sanctuary, a testament to the depth of this enduring devotion.

The barefoot pilgrimage

Among the most intense rituals of the feast is the barefoot pilgrimage: the faithful walk from their homes to the Church of Saint Francis while reciting the rosary, fulfilling vows and promises. In ancient times, some completed the rite with the so-called lingua a strascinuni, dragging their tongues from the entrance to the high altar. Today, the tradition continues with children wearing white habits with black buttons in honor of the hermit saint.

The Bread Pupi Festival

The folkloric and gastronomic heart of the event is the Bread Pupi Festival. In conjunction with the religious celebrations, large loaves of bread—the pupi—are prepared and blessed. These loaves, some weighing dozens of kilos, are shaped like arms, legs, and other body parts healed through the saint's intercession. Once blessed, the bread is distributed warm to the crowd and enjoyed with oil, pepper, and fresh cheese, in a gesture of sharing that unites the entire town. The festival also features market stalls, local brass band music, and a fireworks display to close the day.

A popular celebration in inland Sicily

The entire month of July in Campofranco is dedicated to the saint, with evening masses held in the church of the old Franciscan convent. The main day begins in the morning with a mass at the Sanctuary and a procession of the statue to the Mother Church, returning to the sanctuary in the evening. The Feast of Saint Calogero represents one of the most authentic expressions of popular religiosity in the Caltanissetta province and all of Sicily, drawing emigrants and visitors every year who are eager to rediscover the roots of this inland Sicilian village.