Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna

In May a Ciminna is celebrated every year Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix: in the municipality of the Metropolitan City of Palermo, inhabitants and tourists come together in the most important festival of the year for the faithful of the local community.

The symbols of the Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna are theorchestra with singers , animal fair, nineteenth-century institutions that made this day special in the Church and in the streets of the town, in addition to the Torch Procession, during which it was customary for the faithful of Ciminna to ride their steeds holding a candle to light up the night, while the poorest followed the procession with their animals, such as hens or kids.

The oldest traditions on this feast day have today become the inspiration for the modern rites of the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix in Ciminna: a "furriata re twists" in Piazza San Giovanni, in fact, is nothing more than a re-enactment of the Procession of Torches, where the horses have become mules, but music is always one of the most important elements of this joyful event.

The history of the Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna

The Feast of the Holy Crucifix in the town of Ciminna has very ancient origins and the first celebration that the town remembers is that of 1600, when on the occasion of the Feast singers and musicians arrived in the town from all the neighboring towns and also from Palermo; in the XNUMXth century the animal fair was created with a special law which took place every year in Ciminna on the occasion of the Festival and then in the village everyone participated in the Procession of the Torches and in the Procession of the Sacred Image, which was carried through the streets of the center by a group of barefoot devotees.

Today, although the event has undergone major changes over time, the Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna is still the most awaited event by the community of the faithful.

When the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix takes place in Ciminna

For centuries, the official date on which the Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna is celebrated is first of May.

Where the Feast of the Holy Crucifix takes place in Ciminna

The Feast of the Holy Crucifix takes place in the historic center of the village, in the Metropolitan City of Palermo. In Ciminna you will find the community gathered around the Parish of Santa Maria Maddalena.

What to do during the Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna

During the Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix, you can gather in prayer at the Parish of Santa Maria Maddalena, joining the faithful of the community, or following the events in Piazza San Giovanni, where the tradition comes back to life every year.

Afterwards, you will be able to discover the village, whose origins are lost in the early Middle Ages. Here the most important monuments are undoubtedly the churches; in the center there are so many and you can start your journey among the sacred buildings of Ciminna at the Mother Church, beautiful and surprising with its decorations and bright colors, and then continue towards the Church of St. John the Baptist, Church of San Francesco d'Assisi , Church of San Sebastiano Martire.

The Mother Church of Ciminna was also chosen as a film set by Luchino Visconti in filming of The Leopard, making the village a destination not to be missed, even for cinema and literature enthusiasts. Furthermore, in Ciminna, the sweet tooth will be able to discover all the delicacies of Palermo cuisine, such as beans with mint, sweet couscous or ricotta meatballs, without forgetting the desserts, which are real delights here, such as the cannoli Sicilian or cassata.

From Ciminna, you can get to Palermo in about an hour's journey and along the northern coast of Sicily you can stop in wonderful villages such as Trabia e Altavilla Milicia, or stop at Bagheria, before reaching Palermo.

How is it possible to get to the Feast of the Holy Crucifix in Ciminna

Ciminna, at 486 meters above sea level. you can easily reach it by car or train, taking in the car the A19 Palermo-Catania and turning at the exit for Trabia about 13 km from the village, or going down from train to Trabia Station and continuing the journey with bus or shuttle.