Feast of the Madonna della Cava – Anniversary of the Proclamation as Patron Saint

A devotion spanning the centuries

Every May 6th, the city of Marsala, in the heart of the Trapani province, celebrates the anniversary of the proclamation of Maria Santissima della Cava as the principal Patron Saint and special protector of the city. The anniversary has its roots in the May 6, 1788 notarial deed drawn up by notary Ludovico Antonio Donato, when the Madonna was solemnly elected protector of Marsala, two hundred and seventy years after the discovery of her statue.

The legend of the discovery

The story begins in 1514, when, according to tradition, the Virgin appeared in a dream to the Augustinian friar Leonardo Savina, urging him to dig in an abandoned quarry. After four years of excavation, on January 19, 1518, following the collapse of a boulder covering a well, a small marble statue of the Madonna, just eighteen centimeters tall, was found. The words the Virgin allegedly repeated — «Cava, cava» (dig, dig) — gave the sanctuary and the image their name. Since that day, the main feast is celebrated every year on January 19th, while May 6th commemorates her proclamation as Patron Saint.

The Sanctuary in the cave

The cult is centered at the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima della Cava, in the Porticella area, housed within the ancient cave where the miraculous discovery took place. The church built by the Augustinians in 1607 was destroyed by the 1943 bombings, but the statue was recovered intact from the rubble; the current sanctuary was consecrated in 2000. The statuette, kept in a precious silver reliquary adorned with stones, is a destination for continuous pilgrimages by the people of Marsala.

The May 6th program

The anniversary is primarily liturgical and devotional in nature. Throughout the day, Holy Masses are celebrated at the Sanctuary of the Cava, accompanied by the recitation of the rosary in the local dialect and vespers. The highlight is the solemn Eucharistic celebration, often presided over by the archpriest and Vicar Forane of Marsala. In recent years, the evening has been enriched with prayer vigils, conferences, and sacred performances dedicated to the life of Mary.

• Municipality: Marsala (Province of Trapani, Sicily)
• Patron Saint: Maria Santissima della Cava, since May 6, 1788
• Main Feast: January 19th (day of the statue's discovery)
• Location: Sanctuary of the Cava, Porticella area

For the people of Marsala, the May 6th feast represents an appointment of faith and civic identity, weaving the community's centuries-old history with popular devotion to its heavenly protector.