Sant Efisio

The Feast, inspired by the devotion and faith of the entire island, is celebrated in honor of the martyr Saint Efisio, who was tortured and killed in Nora on January 15, 303. As a thanksgiving for the deliverance from a terrible wave of the plague epidemic that shook the city in 1656, the city council of Cagliari decided to annually celebrate Sant’Efisio as a gratitude to this saint for the newly acquired health, and the month of May was chosen as a symbol of regeneration. The town of Pula welcomes the saint with honor every 2nd of May.
Around noon, thousands of believers await at the entrance to Pula to witness the arrival of the procession. Sant’Efisio is carried through the streets of the entire city to the Church of Saint John the Baptist, where a mass is celebrated. The procession is accompanied by the music of “Launeddas,” and the knights and women are dressed in traditional costumes. Around six in the evening, the procession accompanies Sant’Efisio to Nora, the place of his martyrdom. In the Church of Nora, dedicated to him and built above his ancient prison, a mass takes place.
In the evening, around eight o’clock, the saint returns to Pula accompanied by believers carrying candles or torches. In the Church of San Giovanni Battista, another mass is held. In the evening, a traditional fireworks display takes place. On May 4th, in the early morning hours, Sant’Efisio begins the journey back to Cagliari. Many believers accompany him on foot for the entire journey from Cagliari to Pula and follow him in the procession until late at night when the saint returns to the city of Cagliari.