Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

An identity-defining festival in the heart of Sicily

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the most deeply rooted devotional events in the municipality of Enna, the capital of the province of the same name in the heart of Sicily. Every year, on the last Sunday of June, the city gathers around the venerated image of the Sacred Heart for a celebration that weaves together faith, labor history, and popular tradition. More than just a religious observance, it is a moment of strong collective identity that unites the various neighborhoods of Enna.

The Confraternity and its origins

The festival is organized by the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, founded in 1839 by Calcedonio Termine. Originally, the association primarily brought together miners and sulfur workers, the laborers who worked in the local sulfur mines, giving their devotion a profound social significance. After the founder's death, his sons Giovanni and Melchiorre obtained official approval for the statutes in 1898. Today, the confraternity is based in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which reopened after a long restoration completed in the early nineties.

The Sacred Image and the procession

The heart of the festival is the solemn procession in which the confreres carry the Sacred Image of the Sacred Heart through the city streets. The wooden statue, about two meters tall, was created by sculptor Vincenzo Piscitello in 1897, replacing an older 19th-century image. During the pageant, the confreres wear traditional attire: a white robe, a white hood, and an amaranth-red cape with a hand-painted Sacred Heart, accompanied by white and red accessories.

The 2026 program

The 2026 edition, whose liturgical program has been released by the confraternity led by rector Fabio Garofalo, includes the customary religious celebrations with the procession scheduled for the last Sunday of June. Among the side events is the Luciano Bonanno and Sebastiano Schillaci Memorial, a 7-a-side football tournament scheduled for June 13 and 14 at the "Enrico Greca" field in Pergusa, dedicated to the memory of two figures dear to the community.

Between devotion and popular tradition

Beyond the religious dimension, the festival offers a calendar of recreational events: exhibitions, tastings, and the traditional Pittidda Festival, featuring a focaccia typical of Enna's gastronomic tradition, which draws residents and visitors to the area near the church. It is an opportunity to discover an authentic side of Enna, a city perched on its hills and a guardian of one of the richest confraternity traditions in Sicily.