Feast of the Baby Jesus and Saint Joseph

A tradition unlike any other in Sicily

In the heart of the Sicani Mountains, perched at 710 meters beneath the castle of Frederick II, the small town of Giuliana (province of Palermo) preserves one of the island's most original popular devotions. The Feast of the Baby Jesus and Saint Joseph, known to locals as the Festa d'u Bamminu, takes place over the three days preceding the Feast of Saint Joseph on March 19th, culminating in a joint procession of the two statues.

The ritual of the Baby Jesus visiting homes

The heart of the festival is a wooden sculpture group attributed to the artist Bagnasco, depicting Saint Joseph holding the Baby Jesus. For this occasion, the figure of the Baby Jesus is detached from the group and entrusted to the local carpenters, who carry it into the homes of Giuliana. In each house, the statue is placed for a few moments on every bed: a gesture full of meaning, inspired by the Gospel account of Jesus being found in the temple after three days.

The vow of the newlyweds

The festival is deeply connected to young couples. According to an ancient rite, newlyweds tie ribbons to the Baby Jesus, known as scocche, in pink or blue depending on the gender of the child they hope for, accompanied by a monetary offering. In the past, wheat and eggs were donated instead, reflecting the deep-rooted agricultural history of this devotion.

Three evenings, three churches

During the three days, the statue of the Baby Jesus is kept each evening in a different church in the village:

• First evening — Church of the Most Holy Trinity (SS. Trinità)
• Second evening — Church of the Most Holy Heart of Mary (SS. Cuore di Maria)
• Third evening — Church of the Carmine, where the reunion with the statue of Saint Joseph takes place

The procession on March 19th

The festival concludes on March 19th, the Feast of Saint Joseph, when the statues of the Baby Jesus and the saintly carpenter are carried together in a procession through the streets of Giuliana, accompanied by local confraternities. The devotion to Saint Joseph, patron saint of carpenters, thus intertwines with the trade of those in the village who guard and carry the sacred images.

A village to discover

The festival is also the perfect opportunity to visit Giuliana, a village within the Monte Genuardo Nature Reserve, dominated by the Swabian castle of Frederick II, with its medieval churches and the Convent of Saint Anne. A tradition that, in its simplicity, tells the story of the most authentic soul of inland Sicily.