Raffadali – II and III Sunday of June
Patronal Feast of Mary Most Holy of the Infirm
It all began in the 16th century, when the confraternity of Our Lady of the Sick was born and the picture that for almost a century was kept in the high altar of the Church of St. Olive was painted; then, when the lords of the town built the present mother church, dedicating it precisely to Mary Most Holy of the Sick, the need for a representation up to the mark was recognized.
The statue of Our Lady was made in 1585 by Nicola Buttafuoco, who, according to tradition, sculpted it only in part, since its completion would have been the work of divine intervention.
The “Fera di li malati” is dedicated to the patron saint’s festival, which is also much attended by Raffadalians who live abroad and who, for the occasion, return in large numbers to their native town.
Eight days, from the second to the third Sunday in July, in which the community meets and celebrates the patron saint, not forgetting to taste, as tradition dictates, the typical festival ice cream and cubbaita made with almonds and pistachios.
