CAGLIARI ➜ GIORGINO ➜ SARROCH ➜ PULA ➜ NORA
The Route
80 kilometres on foot. From Cagliari cathedral to the ancient ruins of Nora — and back.
How the Procession Works
The procession departs from the Church of Sant'Efisio in the Stampace district of Cagliari on the morning of May 1st. The golden carriage carrying the statue of the saint — pulled by two white oxen — leads 3,000 participants in traditional Sardinian costumes across four days.
On May 4th, the procession returns to Cagliari, where thousands line the streets to welcome the statue back to the church.
The 6 Stages
Cagliari — Stampace
Departure from the Church of Sant'Efisio at noon. In Via Roma the carriage rolls over a carpet of coloured rose petals — 'sa ramadura' — while ship sirens and church bells answer in unison.
Giorgino — Ballero Chapel
Stop at the Ballero family's small church: the simulacrum is stripped of its gold and dressed in plainer robes, transferred onto the 'cocchio di campagna' for the long journey ahead.
Su Loi — Capoterra
Mass celebrated at Su Loi (Capoterra, anciently called Villa Sant'Efisio). From here the faithful escort the saint through Maddalena Spiaggia.
Villa d'Orri — Marquises Manca
Eucharistic blessing at the chapel of Villa d'Orri, owned by the Marquises Manca di Villa Hermosa.
Sarroch — Santa Vittoria
Solemn Mass at the church of Santa Vittoria. The saint stays overnight in Sarroch. Mass at 7 the next morning before the journey resumes.
Villa San Pietro
Stop introduced in 1943. Brief halt on the road to Pula.
Pula — Su Rondò bridge
On the 'Su Rondò' bridge the Cagliari Alter Nos ritually transfers ceremonial responsibility to the Mayor of Pula. Solemn Mass at the church of San Giovanni Battista, halts at the cemetery and at San Raimondo chapel.
Nora
The ancient Phoenician ruins of Nora — site of Efisio's martyrdom. The statue is placed in the small Romanesque sanctuary by the sea, around 9 pm.
See the Interactive Map
The Italian version includes a full interactive Leaflet map with all 6 stops.