The devotion to Our Lady of the Oil, Bivona’s co-patroness, is a very ancient cult dating back to the 16th century. The main celebration takes place during the Marian month of May, and the ritual is mainly devotional, linked to an event considered miraculous.

Today, celebrations begin on the first Sunday of May when devotees, having taken the statue from the sanctuary near the Castello Dam, accompany the Madonna in a procession from the sports field to the Mother Church, singing traditional hymns like the Salve Regina performed by the Popule Meus singers. Once in the Mother Church, a Mass is celebrated in her honour.

The statue remains exposed in the Mother Church until the first Sunday of June, when it is taken back to the sanctuary following the same route. During May, while in the Mother Church, the statue is constantly venerated and draws pilgrims from nearby towns. The cult, which began in the 1500s, remains vibrant and deeply felt.

It originated from a specific episode: a mineral oil with reputed healing properties was said to have surfaced, healing many who anointed themselves with it. This was linked to a shepherd discovering a painting of the Madonna and Child at the current sanctuary site. The image, believed to be miraculous and dated 1574, was lost and later replaced by the current wooden statue, in which both Madonna and Child hold an oil vial, symbolizing the enduring devotion.

 

This element has been included in the Register of Intangible Heritage of local interest of the Municipality of Bivona, as part of Intervention 6 “Activation of the Observatory on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Territory through the application of the REIL methodology – Register of Intangible Heritage of Local Interest”, within the “ Metasicani effetto farfalla” project, funded by the NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), Mission: Digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness, culture and tourism, Component: Tourism and culture 4.0, Investment 2.1 “Attractiveness of villages.” CUP: J79I22000180006.