Festa Ranni in honor of the Holy Crucifix
The grand festival of Gibellina: faith, embroidered Prisenti, and the folklore of the Belìce Valley
About Festa Ranni
A festival called "Ranni" because it is the greatest
In Gibellina, a small town in the province of Trapani reborn after the 1968 Belìce earthquake, the Festa Ranni — meaning "the big festival" in Sicilian dialect — is the event around which the entire community revolves. Dedicated to the Holy Crucifix, it combines deep religious devotion with spectacular folklore that draws visitors from across the Belìce Valley and Western Sicily.
The legend of the Crucifix
Tradition holds that in the mid-16th century, farmers from Gibellina and Santa Ninfa discovered a Crucifix along a stream near the present-day Contrada Rampinzeri. Unable to agree on who should keep it, they placed it on an ox-drawn cart and let the animals decide: the oxen stopped just before entering Gibellina, and the Crucifix has been venerated by the town ever since. Thus, the vow to celebrate the festival was born, remaining the heart of Gibellina's identity today.
The Prisenti Parade
The most iconic moment is the Solemn Parade of the Prisenti with Caparisoned Mules: a procession of riders on mules adorned with richly embroidered silk trappings, accompanied by horse-drawn Sicilian carts, marching bands, and folk groups. Along the route, the ritual of tossing nuts, peanuts, and sweets to the crowd is renewed. The Prisenti are the large embroidered processional drapes that symbolize the festival—a tradition revived after the earthquake by Ludovico Corrao, who invited renowned contemporary artists to create new ones.
Tradition and contemporary art
In 2026, the Festa Ranni is part of the program for Gibellina Italian Capital of Contemporary Art, a recognition celebrating the city's vocation—dotted with signature architecture and artworks—for dialogue between popular memory and contemporary creation. The Prisenti also take center stage in a widespread exhibition across the Museum of Mediterranean Weavings, the MAC, and other cultural sites in the city.
Three days of devotion and celebration
The program alternates religious rites—the enthronement of the Crucifix statue, Eucharistic celebrations, and the solemn procession—with popular events: comedy shows, large free concerts in Piazza XV Gennaio 1968, and a grand finale fireworks display. It is an authentic experience of the truest Sicily, where faith becomes community and spectacle.
Festa Ranni — edition 2026
The 2026 Festa Ranni celebrated the Holy Crucifix in Gibellina from May 6 to 10, in an edition made particularly significant by its inclusion in the Gibellina Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2026 events. The festival alternated religious rites with the great folk tradition of the Prisenti Parade, featuring mules adorned with embroidered silk, Sicilian carts, marching bands, and the ritual tossing of sweets to the crowd. The program concluded with a free concert by Giusy Ferreri and a fireworks display in Piazza XV Gennaio 1968. Simultaneously, a widespread exhibition dedicated to the Prisenti opened, running from May 10 to August 30, 2026.
Programme Festa Ranni 2026
Friday, May 6
- 18:00 — Enthronement ceremony of the Holy Crucifix statue at the Mother Church altar, presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo
- 19:00 — Presentation of the work Croci-Fissione di Luce by master Giuseppe Modica
Saturday, May 7
- 08:00 — Pealing of the Sacred Bells
- 16:00 — Ritual blessing of the riders and animals on the church parvis
- 17:00 — Solemn Prisenti Parade with Caparisoned Mules from Piazza XV Gennaio 1968: eighteen riders on mules adorned with embroidered silk drapes and thirteen horse-drawn Sicilian carts, with the tossing of nuts, peanuts, and sweets, marching bands, and folk groups
- 21:30 — Vita da Bar comedy show by Giovanni Cacioppo (free admission)
Sunday, May 10
- 08:00 — Pealing of the Sacred Bells and marching band through the town streets
- 11:00 — Solemn Eucharistic Celebration at the Mother Church
- 12:00 — Inauguration of the widespread exhibition The Prisenti of Gibellina (Museum of Mediterranean Weavings, MAC, Belìce/EpiCentro)
- 18:00 — Solemn Procession of the Holy Crucifix through the city streets
- 22:30 — Free concert by Giusy Ferreri in Piazza XV Gennaio 1968
- Followed by — Closing fireworks display
Highlights Festa Ranni 2026
Prices Festa Ranni 2026
Practical information — Festa Ranni
How to get there
Gibellina is located in the Belìce Valley, in the province of Trapani. By car, it can be reached via the A29 Palermo–Mazara del Vallo motorway (Salemi exit) and the SS 119 state road. The nearest airport is Trapani-Birgi; alternatively, Palermo Punta Raisi (about an hour and a half away).
Where and when
Events take place in the center of Gibellina, between the Mother Church and Piazza XV Gennaio 1968, traditionally during the first days of May.
Admission
Participation in the rites, the parade, and the concerts is free.
Tips
Arrive early for the Prisenti Parade, as it is the most crowded moment; combine your visit with the museums and the great contemporary artworks that define Gibellina.
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Where does it take place — Festa Ranni
Chiesa Madre e Piazza XV Gennaio 1968
Piazza XV Gennaio 1968, 91024 Gibellina