Madonna della Tagliata Festival

A Marian devotion spanning the centuries

The Madonna della Tagliata Festival is one of the most deeply rooted devotional events in Castelvetrano, a city in the Province of Trapani in the heart of the Belice Valley, Sicily. The cult is linked to the image venerated in the sanctuary built at the junction of Via Tagliata and Via Salemi: the chapel was rebuilt in 1652, and the Duke of Terranova held the right of patronage, guaranteeing an annual endowment and four masses during the Marian feast on the third Sunday of September. Today, the sanctuary remains a place of pilgrimage and a spiritual landmark for the entire community.

Nine days of celebration between the sacred and the popular

The festivities span over a week, weaving together liturgical moments and popular tradition. The program opens with a charity dinner in the sanctuary garden and prayer vigils; the heart of the festival is the city pilgrimage at dawn, which moves from the parish churches of the center toward the sanctuary, followed by solemn masses presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo and numerous celebrants.

• Blessing of the backpacks for children and students at the start of the school year
• Blessing of the teachers, a traditional moment held on Sunday
• Tasting of zabbina and pane nero, typical products of the local peasant tradition

The historical re-enactment and the fair

The most anticipated event is the 'Antiqua et Veneranda Imago' historical re-enactment, a dramatization featuring a triumphal float organized by the Center for Research on Medieval Costumes and Traditions and the historical pageant committee. It reconstructs the history of the sacred image in an evocative evening show, accompanied by fireworks. Alongside the religious dimension, the Tagliata Fair comes to life, active along the street of the same name since 1759: wooden stalls, exhibitions, crafts, gastronomy, and popular entertainment spaces transform the neighborhood into a large traditional market, enlivened by itinerant musical events.

The flavors of the festival

The festival is also an opportunity to rediscover Castelvetrano's gastronomy: the food festival offers the famous sandwich with bacon, cannoli, cassateddra, and traditional sweets, in a journey of flavors that attracts thousands of visitors every year from the Belice Valley territory and the entire Province of Trapani.

An identity heritage of Castelvetrano

As one of the oldest Marian festivals in the Trapani area, the Madonna della Tagliata Festival represents an authentic identity heritage for the Municipality of Castelvetrano: a blend of faith, historical memory, and conviviality that every September renews the community's bond with its devotion and roots.