Solemn Celebrations in Honor of the Holy Crucifix and Saint Mary of Montevergine — Sant'Anna

The most heartfelt festival in Sant'Anna

Nestled in the mountains of the Agrigento hinterland, the village of Sant'Anna, part of the municipality of Caltabellotta (Province of Agrigento, Sicily), preserves one of the most evocative religious traditions in the region: the Solemn Celebrations in honor of the Holy Crucifix and Saint Mary of Montevergine. It is the festival around which the entire life of the small village revolves, the moment when families and those living away return to reunite before the community's most venerated statue.

The Crucifix of Montevergine

At the heart of this devotion is a 15th-century wooden Crucifix kept in the Sanctuary of Montevergine, a building constructed on a rocky outcrop about 340 meters above sea level that overlooks the valley. According to tradition, the image was brought to Sicily by the followers of Saint Augustine: a legend intertwined with the ancient origins of the place of worship, whose monastic roots date back to the early centuries of Sicilian Christianity.

The village of Sant'Anna itself was founded in 1624 by the will of Francesco Alliata, Prince of Villafranca, who built a village there and named it after the saint. Since then, the Sanctuary of Montevergine and its Crucifix have been the spiritual reference point for the population.

The Procession of the Crucifix

The devotion unfolds in two moments of the year, linked by the journey of the statue between the Mother Church and the Sanctuary. On May 3rd, the ancient wooden icon is carried in procession from the Mother Church to the Sanctuary of Montevergine, accompanied by the figures of Saint Anthony and Saint Joseph along the narrow streets of the village. The festival reaches its peak in August, when—traditionally on the second Sunday of the month—the Crucifix returns to the village streets in a solemn procession involving the entire community. This is the day of the "Solemn Celebrations," featuring liturgical services, moments of devotion, and the festive participation of the whole town.

A community festival

More than a major tourist event, the festival in Sant'Anna is a popular celebration, intimate and authentic, where the religious dimension blends with family reunions and a sense of belonging. For those visiting Caltabellotta and its territory, it is an opportunity to discover an inland Sicily still tied to its rituals, far from the main tourist flows and rich in history and spirituality.