Corpo Pagina
Established with a seal by Pope Paul III in April 1539, the Arciconfraternita del Gonfalone is one of the most ancient association of devotees of Cagliari and Sardinia. Its task is to aggregate and coordinate the confraternities devoted to Sant’Efisio, to guard and look after the church dedicate to him and to organise all the celebrations in honour of the Saint, from January to November.
The membership of this association was, formerly, almost exclusively prerogative of the inhabitants of Stampace, the neighborhood of Cagliari in which the church dedicated to the Martyr Efisio is located: even today most of the more than 150 members of the confraternity come from this neighborhood.
The direction of the association is entrusted to the so-called Banca, composed by the President, who has, among others, the task of maintaining contacts between the Sardinian confraternities devoted to the Saint, the Treasurer who deals with the economic aspect of the confraternity and guards the Saint riches and the Secretary, who maintains relationships with the authorities and coordinates the bureaucratic activities of the association.
During the month of the Festival of Sant’Efisio, from April 25 to May 25, after the election by secret ballot on March 19, the responsibility passes to the Third Guardian who takes up the task, in close cooperation with the Banca, of the organisation and the success of this important event.
On May 1 in the morning, the day of the Feast, the Guardiania, which represents the ancient guard of knights in tailcoat and black top hat of the Third Guardian, goes to the city hall of Cagliari to take and accompany the Alter Nos- elected among the councilmen to represent the Major of the State capital- and to attended the solemn Mass celebrated on behalf of the city: at midday, inside his golden wooden chariot pulled by oxen, the Saint, accompanied by confraternity and devotees from the entire island, begins his pilgrimage toward the ancient city of Nora.
Text by Francesco Mameli
Translation by Giusy Pitzeri, Carlo Garau
Photo by Francesco Mameli
