Mojo Fair / Feast of the Holy Crucifix

The Mojo Fair: A Centuries-Old Tradition

The Mojo Fair, known in local dialect as 'A Fera o Moju, is one of the oldest livestock fairs in Sicily. It takes place every year during the last week of September in Mojo Alcantara, a small town in the province of Messina nestled in the Alcantara Valley. Since time immemorial, the event has attracted breeders and traders from all over Sicily and neighboring Calabria, and it remains the most important event in the town.

The Livestock Fair and Its Schedule

The fair spans several days. The inauguration takes place on the preceding Sunday, when breeders bring their livestock to the designated areas, which must be cleared by 10:00 AM—this is known as the Fera franca. On Tuesday, the official Livestock and Agriculture Fair begins, while hundreds of stalls featuring local products and handicrafts line the village streets. The week traditionally concludes with the Fiera della Casalinga (Housewife's Fair). Each year, the event draws approximately twenty thousand visitors.

The Feast of the Holy Crucifix

Intertwined with the fair is the Feast of the Holy Crucifix, the heart of popular devotion in Mojo Alcantara. The exquisite statue of the Crucifix was carved in the mid-17th century from wild pear wood by Giovanni Francesco Pintorno, known as Friar Umile da Petralia. It is kept in the Mother Church, where it remains on display for eight consecutive days. The devotion culminates in the Friday pilgrimage, which sees faithful arrive on foot from nearby towns such as Malvagna, Roccella Valdemone, Passopisciaro, and Verzella.

The Procession of the Madonna delle Grazie

The final Sunday of September is dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie. On Saturday evening, accompanied by the chanting of litanies, the 18th-century statue is brought down from its chapel, while on Sunday, the evocative procession winds through the village streets. Faith, rural tradition, and popular celebration thus merge in one of the most deeply felt events in the Alcantara Valley, in the province of Messina, Sicily.