Feast of Our Lady of the Shipwrecked in Villasimius

Among the most engaging events in the seaside village of Villasimius is undoubtedly the festival in honor of Our Lady of the Shipwrecked, which is celebrated every year on the third weekend of July to invoke her protection for all those who go to sea. The festival begins on Saturday with a procession that carries the image of the Virgin from the parish church of San Raffaele to the port on a typical wagon - the tracca - decorated with fruit and flowers and pulled by oxen. The most evocative moment of the feast takes place on Sunday, when after the celebration of Holy Mass in the harbor square, a procession of boats heading to the Isola dei Cavoli begins. Here the town's priest dives with a group of divers to a depth of 10 meters, where he recites a prayer at the foot of the submerged statue - created in 1979 by sculptor Pinuccio Sciola - depicting the Madonna and Child. The prayer is heard, via some loudspeakers, by the faithful who watch the ceremony in the water or on boats and throw beautiful wreaths of flowers into the water. At the end of the prayer they return to the port where tastings of fish and local products are held, as well as dancing, singing and fireworks displays.