" Saint Efisio will be even closer to the faithful and devotees ." Mayor Massimo Zedda is convinced of this, having officially announced one of the main new features of the 2026 procession: the statue of Saint Efisio will be carried on the shoulders of the brothers from Stampace to Viale La Playa, both on the outward journey on May 1st and on the return journey on May 4th. For the remainder of the pilgrimage, along the traditional route from Cagliari to Nora , there will be no oxen or military vehicles: the Saint will travel aboard a civilian pickup truck . This solution is part of "Plan B" developed by the Archconfraternity of the Gonfalone after the Region and Local Health Authority banned the use of oxen due to the bovine dermatitis emergency.
A forced choice that alters one of the festival's most iconic images, without distorting its profound meaning. Some organizational details remain to be finalized: it's not yet clear whether there will be a single pickup for the entire route or whether it will be replaced at different stops, from Villa Ballero to Maddalena beach and beyond. The possibility of military vehicles has been ruled out, also to avoid references to sensitive moments in the city's history , such as the 1943 bombing of Cagliari or Covid-19.
"The Archconfraternity's decision," Zedda emphasizes, "has great symbolic value: the celebration of Sant'Efisio is also a popular festival, and must remain so. The Saint will be even closer to the faithful and devotees." The mayor also calls for respect for the thousands of people expected along the route, emphasizing the importance of collective contributions to keeping alive a ritual that has been celebrated for over 370 years. The Archconfraternity's president, Andrea Loi, also emphasizes the spiritual dimension of the event: "After returning from Nora, Efisio will remain in his church until May 22nd: for the faithful, it will be an opportunity to experience a more intimate moment of prayer, away from the crowds of the procession."
(Unioneonline/vf)