Madonna della Rocca Festival

A devotion spanning nearly four centuries

The Madonna della Rocca Festival is the patronal feast of Alessandria della Rocca, a village in the Sicani Mountains in the province of Agrigento, in the heart of inland Sicily. The tradition dates back to 1630, the year when—while a terrible plague was striking the island—the locals began to thank the Virgin on the last Sunday of August, coinciding with the end of the harvest.

According to local legend, the statue was discovered thanks to a poor widow who had taken her blind daughter, Angelina, to gather vegetables in an area known as "rocca ncravaccata". There, the Virgin appeared to the child and asked her to tell the townspeople to dig in that spot: a small marble statue of the Madonna and Child, about 60 centimeters tall and believed to be of Byzantine origin, was found. The sanctuary was built on that site, now entrusted to the Passionist Fathers and preceded by a wide staircase.

The "viaggiu scazu" and the processions

The most moving moment of the festival is the "viaggiu scazu": many faithful make the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary barefoot, as penance or to thank the Madonna for a received grace. From the sanctuary, the statue is then carried to the town in a solemn evening procession, which stops at the Madonna della Rocca chapel at the Portella before reaching the Mother Church.

Sunday is dedicated to the Solemn Mass, followed at nightfall by the grand procession of the statue through the streets of the historic center. The statue then remains on display in the Mother Church until the first Sunday of October, extending the bond between the town and its patron saint for weeks.

A festival in two parts: religious and folkloric

The festival is traditionally divided into two parts. The religious part occupies Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with pilgrimages, masses, and processions. The folkloric part enlivens the following Monday and Tuesday, with the brass band parading through the streets, performances in the square, sporting events, and spectacular fireworks.

• Barefoot pilgrimage ("viaggiu scazu") to the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Rocca
• Evening procession of the statue towards the Mother Church, with a stop at the Portella chapel
• Solemn Mass and Sunday procession through the historic center
• Brass band, performances, and sporting events during the folkloric days
• Fireworks to close the festivities

Experience the Sicani province

Participating in the Madonna della Rocca Festival means immersing yourself in the most genuine atmosphere of the Sicilian province: a village in the Agrigento hinterland that gathers for a few days around its most ancient tradition, amidst popular faith, music, and conviviality. The devotion to the Madonna della Rocca has spread over time to neighboring towns, a sign of how deeply rooted this cult is in the Sicani Mountains territory.