Legend of the SS. Montelepre Crucifix
Syrio - CC4.0
History tells us that the simulacrum of the SS. Crucifix arrived by sea in Palermo in 1751 and was then taken to Montelepre. Legend has it that the author of the sculpture was a monk who, strangely, had great difficulty in creating the face of Christ. It is said that, one evening, he decided to ask Providence directly for help to create the face. The next day, when he woke up, he saw that the face had been created.
A second legend has it that the Crucifix was found by some inhabitants of Montelepre in a cave in Carini. A dispute immediately arose between the cities of Montelepre and Carini, as both claimed ownership. It was then decided to load the simulacrum onto a donkey, which, left free to go wherever it wanted, went to Montelepre. The citizens of Carini then demanded that the Crucifix would remain in Montelepre only on the condition that every year the people of Montelepre celebrate a festival in His honor, otherwise, even if the festival was not held for just one year, the Crucifix he would return to Carini to stay there forever. Thus from 1752, Montelepre, which until that day was under the patronage of Maria Santissima del Rosario, elected the Most Holy Crucifix as its Patron Saint.
