Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix of Resuttano

The feast of the Santissimo Crocifisso of Resuttano, in the province of Caltanissetta, takes place every year in May. It lasts two days and is preceded by seven days of religious celebrations .

The SS. Crocifisso is the patron saint of the small village of Caltanissetta and the great festival celebrated in his honor includes a full program of numerous initiatives of a religious and civil nature.

La Patronal feast of Resuttano constitutes one of the most significant and attended events of the year. Originally, the solemnity of the celebration was emphasized by a very particular protocol. In fact, the procession of the Crucifix involved all the Vari (a term in the Resuttanese dialect) or all the statues of the saints of the churches of Resuttano, which accompanied the Blessed Sacrament in a long procession . The procession route is still known today as Street of the Saints .

Nowadays, the procession has unfortunately been scaled down. The sacred simulacra that come out of the churches to accompany the Crucifix are now only three: the Addolorata, San Giuseppe and Santa Lucia.

The procession starts from the Mother Church where the faithful crowd to admire the Vari, greeted with devotion by the traditional and noisy barrels.

Peculiarities of the festival are the colorful decorations of the car that carries the sacred simulacrum along the entire route: bunches of colorful roses, golden ears of wheat and broad bean pods.

In support of the festival, numerous stalls display local delicacies and products of the Sicilian craftsmanship . Musical performances cheer the participants and the event ends, as per tradition, with the fireworks .

The history of the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix of Resuttano

Many communities on the island are devoted to the Holy Crucifix and in each of them the celebrations have ancient origins and are distinguished by similar characteristics that draw inspiration from the popular tradition filled with history and fanciful legends . This is also the case in Resuttano.

In fact, it is said that in the kitchens of the prince's palace, an ancient Crucifix was found abandoned, to which no one paid attention and devotion. It happened, however, that the prince's only and beloved daughter fell very seriously ill, to the point of being in serious danger of her life.

The prince was destroyed by pain and by the worry of losing his beloved daughter. One night, exhausted by despair, the prince had just fallen asleep when the same dusty Crucifix, neglected for so long and relegated to the court kitchen, came to him in a dream.

The crucifix spoke to him and gave him a categorical order: in fact, he asked him to have a suitable location. The prince immediately had it transferred to the church and as soon as the Crucifix was placed on the altar, the prince's young daughter began to feel better until she was completely healed.

When the Patronal Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix takes place in Resuttano

The Patronal Feast of the SS. Crocifisso in Resuttano takes place every year on 3 and the 4 may .

The previous week, between the end of April and the beginning of May, the celebrations begin with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed, in the following days, by theme evenings on various topics: the family, poetry, etc. . The religious functions take place for the entire week involving the devotees of the entire Resuttanese community and neighboring municipalities.

Where the patronal feast of Resuttano takes place

The Feast of the SS. Crocifisso takes place in Resuttano, a small town in the province of Caltanissetta. Resuttano has ancient Arab origins testified by the presence in its territory of the remains of a castle with the typical features of arabesque architecture where, in 1337, legend has it that King Frederick of Aragon stayed for a short time.

The territory surrounding the urban center is mainly hilly. There are produced in abundance wheat, olives and almonds. The typical product par excellence is, however, the prickly pear which is preserved in syrup.

What to do during the Patronal Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix of Resuttano

In addition to participating in the patronal feast, in Resuttano it is possible to visit the ruins of the Arab castle, the Palazzo Mazzarino from the 1700s and the Mother Church, from the same period, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.

Don't miss a taste of the typical products, from prickly pear in syrup, already mentioned, ai cucciddateddi (cakes filled with figs and almonds), orange salad, stuffed tangerines and garlic little eyes of Saint Lucia (tiny glazed tarallini that are prepared for Christmas).

The hills surrounding the town lend themselves to nature excursions suitable for fans of trekking.

How to get to Resuttano to attend the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix

Resuttano is 34 kilometers from Caltanissetta and can be reached by auto from the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway.
By train, it is preferable to arrive in Caltanissetta and then continue towards Resuttano by bus.