Madonna di Costantinopoli Festival (Patronal Feast)

A devotion born in 1807

The Madonna di Costantinopoli Festival is the patronal feast of Lercara Friddi, a town in the province of Palermo, in the heart of Sicily. The origins of this devotion date back to 1807, when—according to local tradition—a young girl named Oliva Baccarella discovered a stone slab engraved with the image of the Madonna and Child while washing clothes by a stream. This discovery, seen by the community as a heavenly sign, sparked a veneration that grew from a neighborhood devotion into the town's most important festival, leading to the construction of a church dedicated to Maria Santissima di Costantinopoli.

The procession and the rites of August 20th

The religious heart of the festival is the solemn procession of the statue of the Madonna, which travels through the historic center on August 20th, accompanied by a marching band and an entire community in prayer. Surrounding this central moment are liturgical celebrations, re-enactments of the miraculous discovery of the icon, and traditional festivities that enliven the main street and the town squares.

The historic Fiera del Colle

A defining element of the festival is the Fiera del Colle, an ancient market established in 1852: an event rooted in the local agricultural and livestock economy that still draws visitors from neighboring towns today, offering stalls, local products, and handicrafts. For several days, the streets of the center, from the main Corso to the primary thoroughfares, are filled with vendors and the atmosphere of a traditional folk fair.

Major August concerts in Piazza Duomo

In recent years, the festival has been enriched with a high-profile musical program, featuring free concerts in Piazza Duomo that have made Lercara Friddi a sought-after summer destination. Theatrical performances, evenings with popular artists, street food, and cultural initiatives complete the August calendar, blending the sacred with the festive and making the patronal feast the true sociocultural epicenter of the Lercara summer.

When it takes place

The festivities are concentrated in the second half of August, with the main date set for August 20th, the day of the procession. The dates and detailed program for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced: the municipal administration and local associations typically publish the full calendar in the weeks leading up to the festival.