Most Holy Crucifix Festival (Lu Tri di Maiu)

A festival in the heart of Borgalino

The Most Holy Crucifix Festival, which the people of Canicattì affectionately call «Lu Tri di Maiu» after the day it is celebrated, is one of the most deeply rooted events in the popular calendar of Canicattì, in the heart of the Agrigento province, Sicily. The festival takes place in the historic Borgalino district, around the Church of Santo Spirito, where the Crucifix statue is kept and venerated, before spreading through the narrow streets of the neighborhood and into Piazza Roma.

The roots of «Lu Tri di Maiu»

Until the 1950s, «Lu Tri di Maiu» was one of the most beautiful and significant festivals in Sicily, an authentic expression of the region's rural culture. The celebrations lasted up to eight days and included a large livestock and trade fair, the offering of large votive candles known as «l'intorci», popular games, songs, and a parade of richly harnessed mules and horses called «La Rietina». Devotion to the Crucifix has always been linked to the hope for a good harvest, particularly of the famous Uva Italia of Canicattì.

Faith, floral displays, and popular creativity

The religious component remains the heart of the festival: on May 3rd, the statues of the Crucifix and the Immaculate Conception are carried in procession through the streets of the district. In recent years, the tradition has been enriched by spectacular floral displays created with thousands of petals, crochet installations, and a large decorated Cross that adorns the neighborhood, a testament to the creativity of the faithful and the collaboration of local schools.

The Egg and Local Products Festival

Alongside devotion, «Lu Tri di Maiu» is also a celebration of taste and community. In Piazza Roma, the traditional Egg and Local Products Festival takes place—an evening of tastings and joy animated by majorettes, folk groups, and performances, attracting families and visitors from across the region. The festival concludes with traditional fireworks near Santo Spirito, known as «lu Cummentu».

Why experience it

Participating in «Lu Tri di Maiu» means immersing yourself in the most authentic soul of Canicattì and central Sicily: a blend of faith, popular traditions, gastronomy, and neighborhood identity that continues to unite different generations around the Crucifix of Borgalino year after year.