Festa di Sant’Efisio

If you’re looking for an event where you can really experience the authentic spirit and traditions of Sardinia, I’d suggest heading to Cagliari at the beginning of May to attend the procession and festival of Sant’Efisio.
The procession starts in Cagliara before heading to Spiaggia di Nora and returning back again, a route which sees the faithful cover a total of over 65 kilometers. During the event, you can see traditional Sardinian costumes, especially on the first morning when the procession goes through the city streets and groups from around the island come in their very best regional attire.

Saint Ephysius, a Christian martyr locked in a crypt and later executed in 303 AD, is a beloved figure in Cagliari. A festival in his honor begins on May 1st with a procession to the site of his execution at Nora and ends on May 4th with the return parade to Cagliari full of horses, musicians, folk dancers, and the faithful dressed to the nines. The parades and the sheer amount of participants turn this traditional event into something truly spectacular.

According to legend, a plague was devastating Cagliari and it was Sant’Efisio ve saved the city from the pandemic. The Holy Martyr was condemned to death for not renouncing his Christian faith and every May, he is symbolically carried through the streets of the old town in memory of the miracle of Nora. The whole festival is very colorful and the participants and even their horses are all in traditional costumes. The music and songs accompanying the procession fill every corner of the city. It’s definitely an experience to be lived!