Every year on 1 May, Cagliari renews its vow to Saint Ephisius, the martyr saint who, according to tradition, saved the city from the plague.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists and believers flock to the city, driven by faith, intrigued by the charm of tradition, or simply to experience an exciting trip to Sardinia.

The first edition of the feast, recognised as a ‘Cultural Heritage of Humanity‘ byUnesco, was held more than 350 years ago, in 1655, and since then the streets of the city centre, and in particular Via Roma, have been draped in a long carpet of coloured petals and embellished with thousands of men and women parading in the traditional costumes of their respective countries, announcing with their litanies the passage of the Saint pulled by the yoke of oxen and defended by militiamen on horseback.

Escorting the Saint’s chariot is the characteristic sound of the launeddas, an ancient wind instrument, and the homage of the sirens of the ships docked at the port as they pass through Via Roma.

The rites of the Sant’Efisio festival

The procession covers no less than 60 km: it starts from the church dedicated to the saint in the Stampace district and continues along Largo Carlo Felice and via Roma, passing through Nora, the place where his martyrdom is presumed to have occurred, until it reaches Sarroch, where the simulacrum will be housed until 3 May, the date on which it is scheduled to return to Cagliari on the evening of 4 May.

The rituals have been repeated unchanged for centuries: on 30 April, the members of the Archconfraternity of the Gonfalone, an association housed in the Church of Sant’Efisio, kick off the preparations with the dressing of the simulacrum: adorned with jewellery donated by the faithful as ex-votos for grace received.

On the morning of 1 May, the Third Guardian, in charge of the Archconfraternity and Sa Guardianìa, in charge of the processions and services on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, go to the Alter Nos, the figure representing the Municipality of Cagliari and symbolising the officialdom of gratitude to the saint. All together they reach the small church in Via Sant’Efisio and from this moment on, the festivities begin.

Five days of celebration: the stages of the procession of Sant’Efisio

The religious procession that starts from the small church of Sant’Efisio is opened by the traccas, the ox-drawn carts adorned with flowers, followed by folk groups from the various towns of Sardinia wearing traditional clothes and jewellery, escorted by militiamen on horseback and representatives of theArchconfraternity of the Gonfalone.

The carriage proceeds in the direction of Giorgino, a small fishing village, to stop at Villa Ballero and then reach the road to Pula via Capoterra, where, on the beach of La Maddalena, it will find the faithful who will follow it in procession to the small Romanesque church of ‘Su Loi’, in the ruins of Nora, the probable site of the martyrdom, where mass will be celebrated.

In the late evening, the chariot will reach Villa d’Orri, a residence renowned for having hosted illustrious historical figures including Charles Felix of Savoy, where it will receive the Eucharistic blessing in the chapel of the enchanting residence, before continuing on to Sarroch where it will spend the night in the church of Santa Vittoria.

The following day, the cortege will arrive at Villa San Pietro where a mass will be celebrated in his honour. The cortege will then proceed towards Pula, where it will be festively welcomed in the church of San Giovanni Battista.

The following day, 4 May, the simulacrum will undertake its return journey to Cagliari, where it will be welcomed by the faithful who will accompany it in procession to the small church of Stampace.

Are you in Cagliari on the occasion of Sant’Efisio?

If you have decided to take part in all 5 days of the Festival of Sant’Efisio and are looking for a hotel in Cagliari, we offer you the Overnight Stay at the Sardegna Hotel: our advantageous rates include a rich buffet breakfast, unlimited wi-fi, Sky Gold, internal car park, Late check-out in the afternoon, with the possibility of accommodation in Suite, Superior or Classic rooms, Family rooms for up to 6 people, with discounts for children and teenagers.