Procession of the Capidduzzu di Maria

A tradition spanning over three and a half centuries

The Procession of the Capidduzzu di Maria is one of the oldest and most defining religious and folkloric events in the town of Monforte San Giorgio, located in the heart of the province of Messina, Sicily. Its origins date back to 1650, when Father Antonio Faranda donated a precious fragment of the Virgin Mary's hair to the Crispino hermitage, which has been kept in a silver urn ever since. For over three and a half centuries, the community has gathered to accompany this relic in a rite filled with faith and emotion.

The route and the rite

The procession takes place on the Saturday preceding the first Sunday of September and departs at dusk from the hamlet of Pellegrino, home to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Crispino, nestled in the mountain valley. The relic is carried on the shoulders of the faithful along a route of nearly four kilometers that leads to the Mother Church in the center of Monforte. The path is marked by lights that illuminate the night, heirs to the ancient devotional fires known as bamparizzi once lit in the surrounding countryside.

Sounds and atmosphere

What makes this procession unique is its soundtrack: the sound of bagpipes, accompanied by flutes and tambourines, blends with the rhythmic beating of the confraternity drums, while a multitude of faithful advance with lit candles and the banners of the confraternities. It is an experience deeply rooted in Sicilian popular identity, where the sacred and the communal dimensions intertwine along the town's streets.

Opening the festivities for the Madonna di Crispino

The Capidduzzu di Maria inaugurates the broader cycle of celebrations in honor of the Madonna di Crispino, a deeply revered patron saint of the area, which culminates on the second Sunday of September. In the days following the procession, the religious program continues with pilgrimages to the Sanctuary, Eucharistic celebrations, and the solemn procession of the Virgin's statue, accompanied by musical performances, gastronomic evenings, fireworks, and moments of celebration for the entire community.

A heritage to experience

For those visiting the province of Messina and Sicily in September, witnessing the Procession of the Capidduzzu di Maria means connecting with a living, authentic tradition passed down from generation to generation. It is an event that unites devotion, history, and folklore, capable of revealing the deepest soul of a small Sicilian village.