Feast of the Long Christ

Every year, from August 23 to 25, Castroreale, one of Sicily’s most picturesque villages, comes alive with devotion, history and spectacle during the Feast of the Long Christ, dedicated to the Most Holy Crucifix, affectionately called “U Signori longu” by the faithful. The celebration has its roots in 1854, when the community, threatened by cholera that arrived from Messina, relied on the Crucifix of the church of Sant’Agata to invoke salvation. The miracle that saved the life of a dying woman sanctioned the beginning of a tradition that still moves and fascinates thousands of people.

A 14-meter-high symbol

The heart of the festival is the extraordinary procession of the Long Christ, during which the life-size crucifix, mounted on a cross some 14 meters high, is hoisted and carried on the shoulders down the steep streets of the village. The maneuver, made possible by long poles with iron forks, requires pinpoint balance, skilled craftsmanship and deep devotion. The simulacrum, which almost touches the ceiling of the Mother Church, is a 17th-century expressionist work by an unknown author with a strong visual and spiritual impact.

Tre giorni di fede e partecipazione

The festival begins on August 23 with the translation of the Crucifix to the Mother Church, where it remains exposed for veneration until the afternoon of the 25th. At that time, the procession – composed of the faithful, returning emigrants, visitors and tourists – passes through the streets of the town with solemnity. The slow march of the very high cross, supported by poles, arouses emotion, recollection and wonder.

Un evento che unisce

In addition to its religious value, the Feast of the Long Christ represents for Castroreale a unique occasion of aggregation, identity and collective memory. It attracts visitors from all over Sicily, international tourists and, above all, many Castrorealese emigrants, who find in the festival a deep connection with their origins.

This sober but spectacular celebration is the beating soul of Castroreale: an event that guards the strength of faith and the beauty of popular traditions, keeping alive a heritage that is renewed, year after year, suspended between heaven and earth.

Ph. Giuseppe Costanzo/flickr