Corpus Domini Solemnity of Marentino

A religious tradition of the Turin Hills

The Solemnity of Corpus Domini is one of the most significant events in the religious calendar of Marentino, a municipality in the Turin Hills in the province of Turin, in the heart of Piedmont. Every year, the community gathers around the parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to celebrate the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ with a solemn Holy Mass followed by the traditional Eucharistic procession through the village streets.

The procession with the Blessed Sacrament

The heart of the day is the procession: at the end of the celebration, the Blessed Sacrament leaves the church and travels through the streets and alleys of the town, passing by houses often decorated for the occasion. The faithful accompany the procession in prayer, in an ancient rite that renews the bond between the community and its parish every year. The parish church, rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century on the foundations of an ancient castle chapel, with its bell tower resting on the base of the old castle tower, provides a solemn backdrop for the celebration.

The Marentino Music Band

What makes this procession unique is the presence of the Marentino Music Band, a musical ensemble officially founded in 1927 by Maestro Federico Ferrero, although a musical group was documented in the village as early as 1899. The band, which celebrated its eightieth anniversary in 2007 and has been renewed over the years with the arrival of numerous young musicians, accompanies the procession with its repertoire, lending the event a solemn yet festive atmosphere. It is one of the moments when the historic ensemble serves the community, as is tradition in Piedmontese villages.

Marentino and its hillside identity

Marentino, with its hamlets of Avuglione and Vernone, preserves traces of medieval origins among the hills surrounding Chieri. A village also known for its painted sundials and the Honey Fair, it experiences in Corpus Domini one of the moments where religious and community dimensions merge. Participating in the Solemnity of Corpus Domini means coming into contact with the most authentic and traditional face of the Turin Hills.

When it takes place

The Solemnity of Corpus Domini follows the Catholic liturgical calendar and typically falls at the beginning of summer, on a Sunday. The celebration takes place during the morning, with Holy Mass followed by the procession. As it is a religious observance, participation is free and open to all.