Santissimo Crocifisso Festival and Furriata di li Torci

The Santissimo Crocifisso Festival in Baucina

In the heart of the Metropolitan City of Palermo, perched on the hills of the Sicilian hinterland, the small town of Baucina preserves one of the most evocative and identity-defining popular festivals in the province: the Santissimo Crocifisso Festival, known above all for the spectacular Furriata di li Torci. It is a celebration deeply felt by the inhabitants, capable of drawing back emigrants and visitors every year who return to the village to relive its rites.

The Furriata di li Torci

The most anticipated moment is the Furriata di li Torci, a unique equestrian parade. Knights and horsewomen ride through the streets of the town carrying torci: tall wooden staffs hand-decorated with colorful paper flowers, crafted by the local women. The procession is followed by the retine, two teams of five mules dressed in festive gear, covered with blankets embroidered with evangelical scenes—one dedicated to the Crucifixion, the other to the Eucharist—and laden with ancient agricultural tools. During the parade, the participants throw sweets, sugared almonds, flowers, and small gifts to the crowd, a gesture evoking ancient propitiatory rites for sowing and harvesting.

The Procession and the Flight of the Angels

The religious heart of the festival is the procession of the wooden Crucifix, carried on shoulders through the streets of Baucina. It is accompanied by the traditional Volata di l'Ancili (Flight of the Angels): two children dressed as angels, suspended by ropes stretched between opposite balconies, recite verses of praise to the Crucifix in a spectacle that enchants the crowds gathered in the squares.

Between Christian Faith and Pagan Roots

Beyond its religious dimension, the festival retains clear ties to ancient agrarian cults. According to local studies, its origins lie in the pagan cult of the goddesses Ceres and Demeter, deities of the harvest: religious syncretism transformed the propitiatory rites linked to the awakening of nature and the beginning of the harvest season into a Christian celebration, while maintaining its symbolism of fertility and regeneration.

Food Festival, Fair, and Shows

During the festival days, the village comes alive with a local food festival and a market fair of agricultural tools, accompanied by evening musical performances, marching bands, and fireworks. It is the perfect opportunity to discover the rural gastronomy of the Palermo province and the authentic hospitality of inland Sicily.

When it takes place

Traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday of May, the festival is sometimes moved to July for liturgical reasons. The edition is organized by the SS. Crocifisso Committee together with the Pro Loco Baucina APS and the local parish.