Santissimo Crocifisso Festival (Patronal Feast of Sciara)

A festival that defines the identity of Sciara

In the heart of inland Sicily, at an altitude of just over 200 meters on the slopes of Mount San Calogero, the village of Sciara (Metropolitan City of Palermo) preserves one of the most deeply rooted religious traditions in the Palermo hinterland: the Santissimo Crocifisso Festival, its patron saint. Celebrated every year on the first Sunday of August, it is the community's most anticipated moment—an occasion when even those who have moved away return to their hometown to reconnect with their roots.

The patron saint and his history

The Crucifix has been celebrated as the patron saint of Sciara since the late 19th century, when it took over from Saint Anne, who remains the titular saint of the village's two churches. Devotion to the Crucifix is ancient: the wooden cross and the papier-mâché Christ date back to the 18th century, as do the silver ornaments displayed during the festivities. It is a heritage of faith and sacred art that the community proudly preserves and which shines once again on the high altar of the Mother Church every year.

Rites and procession

The festival begins on the eve with the solemn First Vespers and a Eucharistic celebration, after which the statue is carried in procession from the Parish Church to the Mother Church, where it is placed on the high altar, richly adorned with flowers, candles, and the majestic embroidered Tosello canopy. The day of the feast begins at dawn with blank shots, followed by the local brass band parading through the streets and a floral tribute by municipal authorities.

The highlight is the evening procession of the Crucifix, led by medieval drummers, banners, and confraternities with their insignias, accompanied by living representations of episodes and miracles from the life of Jesus, the clergy, and torchbearers. The float, entirely decorated with red flowers, travels through streets adorned by the faithful with lights, torches, drapes, garlands, and a continuous carpet of petals, with mandatory stops at various points in the village for fireworks displays.

When to visit

In 2026, the festival falls on Sunday, August 2nd. For visitors, it is the perfect opportunity to discover an authentic village in the province of Palermo, far from mass tourism circuits, and to experience a Sicilian patronal feast in its most genuine form, blending the sacred with the popular.