News
Festivities set for Sardinia
24 April 2006
Sardinia's capital Cagliari will celebrate the island's patron saint, St Efisius, in style at the beginning of next month.
Starting on 1st May, four days of carnival atmosphere will pervade the city as pilgrims from all over the island parade through the streets wearing traditional medieval costumes.
A Concert for Peace at the Poet's Hippodrome is the centrepiece of regular performances and shows taking place throughout Cagliari's party-filled streets at nights, culminating in the return of St Efisius' simulacro to its resting place in the Sant Efisio church on May 4th.
The festival is renowned for the strong sense of its origins and history, which stretch back as far as 1640 when a devastating plague hit the whole of Sardinia.
After the death of 10,000 people the population of Cagliari turned to their protector and saint, Efisius, a Roman official who converted to Christianity on his journey to govern the island in the third century.
Every year on May 1st since 1640 the festival has taken place to protect Sardinia's inhabitants from another plague, while lauding Efisius for his loyalty to Christianity despite his subsequent death at the hands of Emperor Flavian.
© Adfero Ltd
Starting on 1st May, four days of carnival atmosphere will pervade the city as pilgrims from all over the island parade through the streets wearing traditional medieval costumes.
A Concert for Peace at the Poet's Hippodrome is the centrepiece of regular performances and shows taking place throughout Cagliari's party-filled streets at nights, culminating in the return of St Efisius' simulacro to its resting place in the Sant Efisio church on May 4th.
The festival is renowned for the strong sense of its origins and history, which stretch back as far as 1640 when a devastating plague hit the whole of Sardinia.
After the death of 10,000 people the population of Cagliari turned to their protector and saint, Efisius, a Roman official who converted to Christianity on his journey to govern the island in the third century.
Every year on May 1st since 1640 the festival has taken place to protect Sardinia's inhabitants from another plague, while lauding Efisius for his loyalty to Christianity despite his subsequent death at the hands of Emperor Flavian.
© Adfero Ltd
