Madonna di Crispino Festival

A festival of faith in the Nebrodi Mountains

The Madonna di Crispino Festival is the main religious celebration in Pellegrino, a hamlet of the municipality of Monforte San Giorgio, in the Province of Messina, located in the heart of the Sicilian Nebrodi Mountains. Every year, around the second Sunday of September, the small community gathers at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Crispino to honor its patron saint with ancient rites, processions, and festivities that attract worshippers and locals from across the region.

The Sanctuary and the statue of the Madonna

The Sanctuary of Crispino houses a precious statue of the Madonna and Child, a work attributed to the workshop of Antonello Gagini and created in 1507. The origins of the cult date back to ancient times: according to tradition, the sacred image was hidden during the centuries of Arab rule and later rediscovered, becoming the focal point of popular devotion in Pellegrino and Monforte San Giorgio.

The Capidduzzu di Maria

The identity core of the festival is the procession of the Capidduzzu di Maria, the "sacred hair" of the Virgin, a relic donated to the community in 1650 by the Reverend Antonino Faranda. The relic is carried in procession during the opening days of the festivities: an evocative candlelight procession illuminated by the faithful, accompanied by the sound of bagpipes and confraternity drums, with small lamps and bamparizzi (devotional bonfires) lit along the route.

The solemn procession

On the day of the festival, the second Sunday of September, the solemn procession of the statue of the Madonna takes place, carried on the shoulders of the faithful through the village streets amidst prayers, hymns, and moving moments. It is the most anticipated event, where the community renews its centuries-old bond with its protector.

Between sacred and popular celebration

Alongside the religious rites, the days of the Madonna di Crispino offer a rich program of popular events: concerts and live music in the square, gastronomic evenings featuring traditional Nebrodi dishes and products, dances, sports tournaments, entertainment for children, and the inevitable fireworks displays that bring the celebrations to a festive close. It is an opportunity to rediscover the identity of a small Sicilian hamlet and the hospitality of its people.

When it takes place

The festivities are concentrated in the first half of September, between the eve of the Nativity of the Virgin and the second Sunday of the month, enlivening the streets of Pellegrino and Monforte San Giorgio for several days.