Travel guide

The fiesta of “Sagra”
Sant’Efisio in Cagliari
berritta (an elongated cap) of red colour and armed with a harquebus; in
olden times, these formed a real armed escort against the Saracen
plunderers who infested the coasts. Also riding horses are the several civil
authorities, including the alternos, who represent the Cagliaritan
municipality. At midday, the Saint on his coach exits the church and
traverses the town accompanied by the brothers, the worshippers singing
is goccius (poetic compositions of Spanish origin), and the players of
launeddas (ancient popular winds made with swamp rush). The height of
the celebration is the crossing of Via Roma in front of the Municipal
Palace, on a bed of petals (sa ramatura). In that very moment, the civil
authorities, the ships of the nearby port with their horns full-blast, and the
cheering crowd pay homage to ”Efis martiri gloriosu de Sardigna speziali
protettori poderosu” (“Ephisius glorious martyr, special protector of
Sardinia”).
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