Ancient Majo Festival

A spring ritual spanning nearly a millennium

The Ancient Majo Festival is celebrated every year in early May in the Materdomini district of Nocera Superiore, in the province of Salerno, in the heart of the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese area of Campania. It is one of the oldest festivals in the region, with roots in pagan spring rites where farming communities celebrated the awakening of nature with dances, songs, and processions around a decorated branch or tree—the Majo—which later merged with Christian devotion linked to the oldest Marian sanctuary in Campania.

The date is no coincidence: on May 1st, 1061, Pope Nicholas II consecrated the temple of Santa Maria Materdomini, granting plenary indulgence to pilgrims. The 2026 edition commemorated the 965th anniversary of that consecration. According to tradition, the place of worship was founded following the miraculous discovery of an icon of the Madonna under an oak tree, which occurred shortly before the year 1000 through the intercession of the young Caramari; the Basilica, a national monument and minor basilica, still preserves that memory today.

The two pageants of May 1st

The heart of the festival is the meeting of two communities. On the afternoon of May 1st, two historical pageants with about a hundred participants in period costumes set off—one from Piazza Zanardelli in Roccapiemonte, the other from the parish of San Michele Arcangelo in the Croce Malloni district of Nocera Superiore. Led by their respective mayors and accompanied by drummers, flag-wavers, and folk groups, the two groups travel through the streets of the two towns carrying the Maj and converge in front of the sanctuary.

Upon arrival, the rector of the Basilica welcomes the pageants: the trees are presented and blessed, a Holy Mass with plenary indulgence is celebrated, and the Te Deum is sung. This is followed by the exchange of scrolls between the civil and religious authorities of the two towns, a symbolic gesture that renews the historical bond between Nocera Superiore and Roccapiemonte, with the evening continuing with folk performances in the square.

The medieval village in Piazza Materdomini

In the following days, the area around the Basilica transforms into a medieval village. Educational stalls and workshops are set up along the square, recreating ancient crafts: blacksmithing, rope-making, pottery, spinning, and wood and stone carving. Street performers, musicians, dancers, and costumed figures move among the stalls, involving the public in period games.

• Historical pageants with over a hundred costumed participants
• Blessing and offering of the Maj to the Madonna of Materdomini
• Solemn Holy Mass with plenary indulgence
• Re-enactment of ancient crafts and educational stalls
• Street performer shows, dances, and medieval music
• Falconry show on Sunday morning
• Tastings of local dishes and products

Falconry, games, and flavors of the Agro Nocerino

One of the most anticipated events, especially for families, is the falconry show held on Sunday morning in front of the sanctuary: falconers display birds of prey in flight and share the art of falconry, which was widely practiced in the medieval South. Nearby, association stalls offer tastings of typical dishes from the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese area, ranging from garden produce to traditional peasant recipes, in an atmosphere that blends popular faith and conviviality.

What is the Majo

The Majo (plural Maj) is a small tree, once an oak or chestnut branch, decorated with colored ribbons, flowers, fruit, and small gifts. Carrying it in procession and offering it to the Madonna is a request for protection over the fields and an abundant harvest: it is the most visible sign of the continuity between the pre-Christian agrarian rite and Marian devotion. For Nocera Superiore and Roccapiemonte, its dance in the square is a symbol of identity that, every spring, re-enacts a sense of community and rebirth.

When it takes place

The event is traditionally held around May 1st, with a program spanning two or three days. It is organized by the Pontifical Basilica of Santa Maria Materdomini together with the Associazione Il Santuario, with the patronage of the municipalities of Nocera Superiore and Roccapiemonte. Admission to all parts of the festival is free.