Truckers' Saturday

A pilgrimage on wheels in the heart of Sicily

The Truckers' Saturday is one of the most distinctive devotional traditions of Pietraperzia, a town in the province of Enna in the heart of Sicily. Every year in May, local and regional truckers gather for a collective pilgrimage dedicated to Maria Santissima della Cava, the principal patron saint of Pietraperzia. Dozens of heavy vehicles, polished and decorated for the occasion, parade through the town streets to the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima della Cava, in a unique blend of popular faith and the working world.

The roots of the tradition

The event has its origins in the older Carters' Saturday, when Sicilian carts would travel to the sanctuary carrying the tools of the trade. Over the decades, carts gave way to trucks and tractors, leading to two distinct spring events: the Truckers' Saturday and the Tractor Drivers' Saturday. Devotion to the Madonna della Cava, whose image was traditionally discovered in the Pietraperzia territory, remains the common thread of a festival that involves the entire community.

Three days of faith and celebration

The event takes place over a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, following a well-established ceremonial:

• Friday: Collection of the flag and the Palio of the Madonna della Cava from the designated families, a procession through the town, recitation of the Holy Rosary, and a prayer of entrustment of the truckers to the Madonna.
• Saturday: Morning gathering of trucks on Viale Unità d'Italia, procession with the Palio, and departure of the vehicle convoy to the Sanctuary of the Cava, where Holy Mass is celebrated; in the afternoon, the return procession and parade in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.
• Sunday: Mass, evening procession, spectacular fireworks, and the traditional drawing of the new standard-bearers and Madonna-bearers for the following year.

The atmosphere of the event

The most evocative moment is undoubtedly the Saturday morning parade, when trucks gather on Viale Unità d'Italia and accompany the Palio to the sanctuary, while local brass bands play Marian hymns. The festival concludes on Sunday evening with fireworks at the old sports field on Viale Marconi and the drawing of the new appointees, a highly anticipated ritual for the community. The organization is managed by the Association of Truckers of Maria Santissima della Cava, in collaboration with the local parish, with security provided by the Carabinieri and Municipal Police.

A defining festival for Pietraperzia

More than just a gathering of vehicles, the Truckers' Saturday is a defining event for Pietraperzia and the entire inland Sicily: it unites Marian devotion, pride in the demanding profession of road transport, and a sense of belonging to a community that has gathered around its patron saint for generations.