Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix in Villafrati

La Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix in Villafrati, a sacred and profane event that has involved the community since 1780. A centuries-old event with processions, costume parades, traditional and modern music concerts, stands and much more.

The description of the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix in Villafrati

In the days preceding the Sunday dedicated to the SS. Crucifix the community participates in religious liturgies and the festivities committee organizes concerts of traditional and modern music while in the streets of Villafrati the exhibition stands offer sweets and typical products of the area to tourists and people from Villafra. Every day at sunrise the faithful are awakened by a round of drums, flag-wavers and firecrackers. On Friday they carry in procession the eighteenth-century simulacrum of the SS. Crucifix from the church where he is kept until Holy Trinity Church and prepare for Sunday events. In fact, on the day of the feast, in the morning there is the livestock and agricultural equipment fair and in the afternoon the community attends the traditional barding and "cunnuciuta di torci". The knights who hold the torch in their hands, an oval-shaped composition with paper flowers and the icon of the crucifix, parade through the streets on horses and mules decked out in colored ribbons, wool and bells to announce their passage. In the past the most devoted peasants flocked to the sound and put the grain in the saddlebags to finance the festival, today sugared almonds and candies are thrown to thank the Crucifix for the protection granted to Villafrati. In the evening the religious manifestation reaches its climax with the procession of the simulacrum of the SS. Crucified through the streets of the town. The faithful parade barefoot while two little girls dressed as angels recite praises to the Lord suspended in the air supported by a system of ropes. The event continues with a fireworks display and after the big celebration, during the week, there are special religious liturgies, festivals and musical and theatrical performances. The event ends the following Sunday when the simulacrum is carried in procession from Church of SS. Trinity to the Church of SS. Crucifix where it is kept all year round.

The history of the Feast of the SS. Crucifix in Villafrati

La Feast of the SS. Crucifix in Villafrati it has involved the faithful since 1780, but it is only since 1880 that we have written evidence of the event. There Confraternity of the SS. Crucified, in fact, established on that date, notes the procession of the simulacrum in a special register. In the early years, the religious event was organized solely by the Confraternity, financed only with the grain harvested among the faithful and was an event lasting one day. Meanwhile, several miracles are attributed to the simulacrum and the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix turns into a big event. Since the twentieth century, the event has been carried out with the money raised among the devotees and a celebrations committee with 200 members has been set up.

When the Feast of the Holy Crucifix takes place in Villafrati

La Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix in Villafrati it reaches its climax on the third Sunday of September but the festivities begin a few days before and end at the end of September.

Where the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix takes place in Villafrati

The event involves the whole town as the procession crosses the various villages of Villafrati, but the symbolic place of the event is the Church of the Most Holy Crucifix.

What to visit in Villafrati and its surroundings

Villafrati on the occasion of the festival, it hosts many tourists who can visit the Church of SS. Crucifix, a building from 1878 built on top of an 700th century church which houses a fine wooden statue of Sant'Antonino by an unknown author. There Mother Church of the country is the Church of SS. Trinity, commissioned by Vincenzo Filangieri in the 700th century. There baroque facade is enriched by a bronze door by Biagio Governali, inside, in addition to the wooden crucifix from the 700th century which is carried in procession, there are other interesting works such as the canvas of Our Lady of the Rosary, work of Randazzo son of 1770 and the wooden statue of St. Joseph depicted while shaking hands with the Child Jesus from the 1700s. Also worth seeing is the Eighteenth-century palace of the Filangieri, today the headquarters of the Spartenze Museum which contains photographs, passports, letters and documents of Sicilian migrants who left for America in search of fortune. Not far from Villafrati, instead there are the Baths of Cefalà Diana, Arab baths of the Middle Ages built on Roman thermal baths. The structure is very particular since the upper rooms are reserved for the emir, while the lower tanks are for the others.

How to reach the Church of the Santissimo Crocifisso in Villafrati

From Palermo by car take the SS113 from via Cala and continue for 12 km to Villabate where you take the SS121 in the direction of via Roma. Continue for 15 km then take the SS118 junction for Bolognetta and continue in the direction of via Santissimo Crocifisso where the Church of SS. Crucifix in Villafrati.