Sant’Efisio (Feast of St. Ephysius)

The Sant’Efisio festival is the most important religious procession of Cagliari. It is held every year on 1 May, uninterruptedly since 1657.

In 1656, after the terrible wave of plague that devastated the city of Cagliari, the ceremony in honour of the saint took the glories that still can be observed.

In 1652 the councillors made the vow to celebrate annually the Saint to thank him for renewed health and was chosen the month of May because symbol of the regeneration of nature.

For the procession groups from all over Sardinia arrive in Cagliari with their traditional dresses. In addition to being among the oldest, it is also the longest Italian religious procession, with about 65 km walking routes in 4 days, and the largest in the Mediterranean.