Rite of Light

The Rite of Light: A solstice ceremony in Sicily

The Rite of Light is an annual ceremony held on the summer solstice in Motta d'Affermo, a small town in the province of Messina overlooking the Nebrodi mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea. On this day only, the monumental Piramide - 38° Parallelo sculpture opens to the public. This corten steel masterpiece was created in 2010 by artist Mauro Staccioli for Fiumara d'Arte, the renowned open-air museum founded by Antonio Presti.

A symbolic passage toward the light

The heart of the ritual involves walking through a long, dark tunnel, illuminated only by the light filtering from the entrance. Participants move through the darkness, counting their steps, until sunset, when a ray of sun penetrates the pyramid, filling it with light. It is a symbolic journey into oneself—an invitation to lose one's bearings and abandon the superfluous to find one's true self. The ceremony is accompanied by singing, dance, and music performed by artists from across Italy.

The Antonio Presti Foundation and Fiumara d'Arte

The event is organized by the Antonio Presti Foundation - Fiumara d'Arte, an organization that has spent decades scattering monumental contemporary artworks across the territory between the towns of Castel di Tusa, Motta d'Affermo, Reitano, Pettineo, and Mistretta. The Rite of Light began in 2010, coinciding with the inauguration of the Pyramid, and has since become a highly anticipated event for thousands, expressing a vision that bridges art, spirituality, and landscape.

A participatory ritual

• Participants are encouraged to wear white clothing.
• Silence is requested throughout the ceremony.
• Access to the Pyramid is provided via a free shuttle from the Energia Mediterranea sculpture square, or by walking a 3-kilometer trail through the Nebrodi landscape.
• The event is free and open to the public.

Art and territory

The weekend of the ritual also includes a guided tour of Villa Margi, a seaside hamlet of Reitano, and the Atelier sul Mare, the Foundation's art-hotel. Participating in the Rite of Light means experiencing the landscape of the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily in one of its most intense forms, amidst the sea, mountains, and contemporary art.