Holy Days 2008

January

Sant’Antonio abate / St. Anthony's Day (17th January, in all Sardinia). St. Anthony Abbot is celebrated with a fire ritual: after being lit, the logs became the aggregation point of the population, that revolved around the bonfire, spend the night eating, drinking and happily singing. Some localities celebrate it on the 16th January. The most spectacular celebrations are in:

• Busachi (Barigadu)
• Sorradile (Barigadu)
• Mamoiada (Barbagie)
• Ghilarza (Montiferru)
• Laconi (Sarcidano)
• Isili (Sarcidano)
• Esterzili (Sarcidano)
• Escolca (Sarcidano)
• Nurallao (Sarcidano)
• Fluminimaggiore (Sulcis-Iglesiente)
• Mandas (Trexenta)
• Sorgono (Mandrolisai)

April

Madonna del Soccorso (2nd April, Posada): Faithfuls and tourists assemble in the city  centre to tato one of the most important religious events of the zone.

Holy week (9-17 th April, in all Sardinia). It end up the Lent. After the Passion of Jesus Christ, it introduces the celebration of Resurrection's Easter. In a large part of Sardinia,  traditions learnd the Spanishesation are still alive.

• Alghero: Holy Friday (14th April): procession along the roads of the city centre and “Desclavament” (descent of Jesus from the Cross), in the cathedral of Santa Maria.
• Pasqua di Nostro Signore / Easter of Our Lord (16th April): The Encounter between the resurrected Christ and the Madonna.
•  Ardaùli: Easter Monday (17th April): celabration in the rustic church of San Quirico.
• Bosa: Easter of Our Lord (16th April).
• Cagliari: Tuesday of Passion (11st April): ritual of the “Seven Mysteries”.
  Holy Thursday (13rd April): visit to the Sepulcher.
  Holy Friday (14th April): Christ simulacrum in procession along the historic center.
  Holy Saturday (15th April): Su Scravamentu (deposition of Christ from the cross). 
  Easter of Our Lord (16th April): S’Incontru (the Resurrected Christ meets the Madonna).
• Calasetta: Easter of Our Lord (16th April).
• Castelsardo: Palm Sunday (9th April), palms blessing.
  Lunissanti (10th April), presentation of the “misteries” and of the Last Dinner. 
  Holy Thursday (13 April), "La Prucissioni" (Via Crucis).
  Holy Friday (14 Aprile), “Lu Lcravamentu”.
  Easter of Our Lord (16th April).
  Easter Monday (17th April). 
• Galtellì: Easter of Our Lord (16th April).
• Gergei: Easter of Our Lord (16th April).
• Iglesias: Tuesday of Passion (11th April), procession of the Mysteries.
  Wednesday of Passion (12th April), procession of the Addolorata.
  Holy Friday (14th April), procession of the Mount (or "of the Calvary").
  Easter of Our Lord (16th April), the Encounter between the Christ and Madonna.
• Meana Sardo: Easter of Our Lord (16th April): the Resurrected Christ meets the Madonna. Easter Monday (17th April): celebration in the church of San Lussorio.
• Portoscuso: Easter of Our Lord (16th April).
• Santu Lussurgiu: Holy Thursday (13th April), S’Incravamentu (crucifixion of Jesus Christ), after the representation of the Last Dinner. Holy Friday (14th April): S’Iscravamentu (deposition of Christ from the cross). Easter of Our Lord (16th April), the Encounter between Christ and Madonna.
• Teulada: Holy Friday (14th April) deposition of Christ from the cross.

San Salvatore (18th April, Uras): the festivity dedicated to Saint Salvatore culminates into a quite popular procession that leaves from the parochial church of Santa Maria Maddalena and ends up at the rustic little church of the XIII century in the outer city.Civil rituals are also planned.

Nostra Signora di Valverde (23rd Aprile, Alghero): the festivity dedicated to the Madonna is carried out in the sanctuary of Valverde, on the Sunday after Easter . Pilgrims arrive from all Sardinia and also from abroad, to assemble in the evocative countryside frame of Alghero, ten kilometers far from the city center. The Madonna di Valverde was solemnly crowned on the 26th of May 1935 by the Capitolo Vaticano .

Sant’Antioco (end of April, Sant’Antioco): the Saint patron of the homonym city is celebrated for four days in a row, two weeks after Easter.



May

Sant’Efisio (1st May, Cagliari): edition number 350 in 2006, this festival attracts around 100 thousand people in Cagliari . The city honors its patron, martyr Saint that, according to the tradition, would have freed Cagliari from the plague. Sant' Efisio is transported on an ancient oxcart along the ways of the center up to the little church in Nora, escorted by horse guards in the traditional costume. The launeddas players and thousands of participants wear the costume of their respective town and the “traccas”, wagons are pulled by oxes and adorned with flowers. On the 4th May the Saint return to Cagliari.

Santa Maria ‘e Mare (May, Orosei): procession along the river Cedrino, to celebrate the Madonna. The simulacrum is transported on a boat, in the meantime numerous faithfuls follow on other boats. The procession terminates at the little church dedicated to the Virgin.

San Simplicio (15th May, Olbia): the Saint patron of Olbia is celebrated in the basilica in his honor. On the day's eve, a parade promoted by the organizing committee, takes place along the roads of the historic center.

L’Infiorata (28th May, Cagliari): in the Basilica of Nostra Signora di Bonaria, the Infiorata concludes the month dedicated to the Madonna. A floral composition, more than twenty meters long, entirely crosses the central aisle of the church.

Regina del Sulcis (28th May, Iglesias and Tratalias): on the day of the Ascension, from five centuries onward, the feast of Madonna Regina of Sulcis is celebrated and the simulacrum is transported from Iglesias and Tratalias, to the cathedral of Santa Maria of Monserrato, in front of the medieval village.



June

Sant’Antonio da Padova (13rd June, Jerzu): according to a century-old tradition, a procession of faithfuls leaves from the town in direction of the little rustic church dedicated to the Saint. Many people spend the night in the "posadas" ( small houses similar to the "cumbessias", constructed around the sanctuary).

San Giovanni Forestiero (end of June, Onifai): many faithfuls and tourists go to the rustic church of Saint Giovanni Forestiero, on occasion of the festivity dedicated to the Saint who, in the local dialect, is called Santu Juanne Istranzu.




July

Madonna del Naufrago (9th July, Villasimius): thousands of faithfuls, including many tourists, participate to the celebration in honor of the Madonna of the Naufrago (castaway). In 1979, a three-meters statue of the Virgin was placed on the bottom of the sea, offing the small city. Boats of every kind arrive to the port to lay down crown of flowers. The Madonna is asked for the protection of all who travel via sea.

Vergine delle Grazie (9th July, Iglesias): it is one of the most important religious festivities in this small city of the Sulcis-Iglesiente. In the homonym church, the mayor of Iglesias, representing the municipality, lights a candle to renew the vow, handed down from the eighteen century.

Madonna del Carmelo (15th July, Seui): the celebrations take place in the homonym country church at the town's entrance. In the two days dedicated to the feast, the town widows gather to pry from morning to evening, while the population participate to folklorist events, that also attract many tourists.

Madonna del Carmelo (15th luglio, Desulo): the procession along the town roads with the vexillum of the Virgin and the prioress in traditional costume. This ritual is nearly one century old, and it attracts thousand of people.



August

Santa Mariedda (5 August, Senorbì): just before sunset, from the town of Trexenta leaves a procession, that concludes on the hill at approximately one kilometer from the town, where is situated the old little church in honor of Santa Mariedda.

Maria Stella Maris (6th August, Bosa): on the first Sunday of August, the small city of Planargia celebrates the Madonna del Mare (of the Sea). In the morning, the Virgin simulacrum, is carried on a boat along the river Temo, followed by a celebratory boats' processions.

Matrimonio mauritano / Mauritane wedding (6th August, Santadi): according to the ancient ceremony the spouses in costume are blessed by the mothers with the water contained into two jags, grain, salt, coins, and rose petals: prosperity and health symbols.

San Sisinnio (6th August, Villacidro): according to a rural tradition, on the first Sunday of August, the town Saint patron is celebrated in the homonym country church. In the past, people used to ask San Sisinnioto protect  their babies against the devil's eye.

Sant’Isidoro (13rd August, Teulada): on the second Sunday of August, this locality of Sulcis-Iglesiente celebrates the finding of Sant’Isidoro simulacrum. The ritual repeats every year, since the XVIII century. In the country church dedicated to the Saint, on the evening's eve, a long procession departs from Teulada to reach the site.

Nostra Signora ‘e Mesu Austu (15th August, Bosa): it is celebrated the assumption of the Madonna to heaven. From the cathedral of the Beata Vergine Maria Immacolata leaves a procession with the simulacrum, laid on a bed in gilded wood.

San Lussorio (21st August, Tortolì): this Saint is venerated in many localities of Sardinia. A great procession follows the simulacrum up to the country church dedicated to Saint Lussorio, near Tortolì.

San Giovanni Battista (23-24th August, Calasetta): in this Sulcis locality, in those days is held a great rural festivity,a bonfire is lighted and the “comparatico” ceremony is renewed for the tightening of permanent friendship's ties with a propitious ritual called “of the flowers”. This ritual is also performed in other parts of Sardinia. Tourists can taste wine and typical sweets, while listening to the popular tabarkini songs.

Santa Lucia (27th August, Monastir): in the Byzantine church dedicated to Santa Lucia the simulacrum is transported in a procession from the parish of San Pietro. The religious rituals are followed by horse races and folklorist and musical entertainments.

Sant’Agostino (28th August, Abbasanta): a big feast is held in the village of Sant’Agostino. On the 16th of August, Sant’Agostino statue is moved to the little country church. On the 28th , instead, the solemn Mass is celebrated with liturgic songs in Sardinian language. In the afternoon, there are “pariglie” spectacular performances of horse pairs.

Santa Maria de Ossolo (29 thAugust, Bidonì): the Saint is celebrated in the sanctuary in her honor, at few kilometers from the town.

Festa del Redentore (29th August, Nuoro):, from more than one century ago, “Cristo Redentore” (Christ the Saviour) is celebrated on the Mount Ortobene. At the bottom of the big statue representing Jesus, which is there since 1910, lots of faithfuls, and many tourists participate to one of the most important religious event in Sardinia. There are also numerous folklorist events with Sardinian dancing and singing, and the best groups in costume, beside the Mamuthones (Mamoiada), Thurpos (Orotelli), Boes and Merdules (Ottana), that show carnival masks of the mysterious Barbagie.

Sant’Ignazio (29-3st1 August, Laconi): the town of the Sarcidano celebrates its fellow citizen Francesco Ignazio Vincenzo Peis, humble cappuccino monk venerated in all Sardinia and famous to be called simply as fra’ Ignazio. He was born in Laconi, in the far 1701. People loved him for his simplicity and charity for the poor, beyond for its taumaturgic abilities.


September

Natività della Beata Vergine Maria (7th September, Uta): in the church of Saint Maria are performed the ritual of devotion to the Mother of Jesus. On the evening of the 7th of September, a chariot with the effigy of the Madonna goes across the town's streets. The roads get covered in rose petals.


Madonna del Rimedio (8th Septembre, Oristano): the feast is held in a fraction of Oristano, in the church dedicated to the Madonna. Many faithfuls arrive from all the Island.

Nostra Signora del Rimedio (8th September Orosei): Thousand of people gather around in the sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin, and many find hospitality in the “cumbessias”, small houses constructed between the XVIII and XIX to host pilgrims from far abroad.

Santa Maria di Monserrato (8th September, Siurgus Donigala): the faithfuls renew the vow to the Madonna with the traditional "procession de is cerus" (the candles) that is opened by a candle of two and a half meters high: as homage to thanks the citizenship of Dolianova, to which the Council of Donigala (before merging with Siurgus) gave the bells that embellish the dome of the Parteolla.'s town. The festivity is attended also by the inhabitants of the near centers, such as Nurri and Orroli. The ritual is renewed annually, from more than thousand of years.

Matrimonio Selargino / Selargino Wedding (10th September, Selargius): according to the antique ritual of the Campidanese wedding, the groom has to wear on his little finger of the left hand a ring of a chain linked to the bride's waist: representing the insolubility of the sacrament. Thousand of tourists assist to the event.

Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos (10th September, Bosa): from the little church, inside Malaspina's castle, leaves a procession that takes the Virgin's simulacrum to the cathedral. Very evocative is the torchlight procession along the medieval quarter roads, adorned with little altars prepared by the faithfuls.

San Maurizio (18-22rd September, Calasetta): is celebrated the saint patron with a series of initiatives from the folklorist tradition and local wine and food tasting.

Santi Cosma e Damiano (24th September, Suelli): on the last Sunday of September, the town of Trexenta renewed the cult for the two Saints, going back to the beginning of the XVII century. The simulacrums of the Saints Cosma and Damiano are transferred from the town to the little country-church, dedicated to them. During the three days of celebration, the Council and the Pro Loco organize folklorist events that attract numerous visitors.

October

Protomartiri turritani (25thOctober, Porto Torres): in this date is remembered the martyrdom of the Sant Gavino, Proto and Gianuario, patrons of Porto Torres. The religious rite is held into the Basilica of San Gavino.

November

Madonna dello Schiavo / Madonna of the slave (15th November, Carloforte): is one of the traditional date of the city built on the Isola di San Pietro. The celebration goes back to the beginning of the XIX century, when hundreds of people from Carloforte returned to their Island after five years of slavery in Tunisia. From 1803 on the local faithfuls organize procession to express their thanks to the Madonna.

Sant' Andrea (26th November, Flumini di Quartu): from 1626 , in the rustic little church, along the littoral street that connects the Poetto of Quartu Sant' Elena to Villasimius, the celebrations in honor of Sant' Andrea are renewed.

December

Santo Natale / Christmas (24-25 December, in all Sardinia).