Departure of the Castellana di Zia Michelina to Montevergine

The August 14th pilgrimage to Montevergine

The Departure of the Castellana di Zia Michelina is one of the most intense and least touristy events of the Irpinian summer. Every August 14th, on the eve of the Assumption, a small procession of devotees leaves Volturara Irpina, in the province of Avellino (Campania), and sets off on foot towards the Sanctuary of Montevergine, the Benedictine monastery where the Black Madonna, affectionately known throughout Campania as Mamma Schiavona, is venerated. This is not a spectacle staged for the public, but a family devotion that has become the heritage of the entire town: a ritual of thanksgiving that has been repeated almost identically for over sixty years.

What is the «castellana»?

The castellana is a hand-crafted votive object: a miniature pentagonal house, resting on a wooden base, whose walls are formed by white candles and which houses the icon of the Madonna of Montevergine inside. It is carried on the head for the entire journey, just as gifts destined for the sanctuary were once carried, and its flickering light is the image that stays most vividly with those who witness the departure. Before setting off, the group travels through the main streets of Volturara collecting offerings from the villagers: over the years, sacred vestments, furnishings, and altar cloths have reached Montevergine in this way.

The story of Zia Michelina

The tradition began in 1964 at the initiative of Michelina Percio, the 'Zia Michelina' who still gives her name to the castellana today. According to the story handed down in the town and documented by the Pro Loco, the woman attributed the end of a long period of personal hardship that began in 1960 and the protection of her infant son, even during the years of emigration to Switzerland, to the intercession of the Madonna of Montevergine.

Michelina personally led the pilgrimage until her death in April 2015; since then, the devotion has continued thanks to one of her daughters and the group of faithful that renews itself every year. Next to Michelina's house, there is a small chapel where a mass is celebrated with the Benedictine monks in September.

A night of walking and singing

The procession leaves on the evening of August 14th and walks all night long along mountain roads and paths. As indicated by the Avellino Province calendar, the pilgrimage passes through five other towns in Irpinia, where other faithful join to accompany the image of the Madonna to her destination; the Pro Loco specifically mentions the passage through Montella, Montemarano, and Chiusano di San Domenico.

Each stretch is marked by prayers and devotional songs to the Virgin: it is mainly the older women who intone the ancient verses used to ask for grace from Mamma Schiavona. Arrival at the sanctuary takes place on the morning of August 15th, in time for the solemn Assumption mass.

Volturara Irpina and the Piana del Dragone

Volturara Irpina (approx. 3,200 inhabitants, 697 meters above sea level) is located at the foot of Mount Terminio, within the Picentini Mountains Regional Park. The town is known for the Piana del Dragone, a karst plateau closed by the 'Bocca del Dragone' sinkholes and linked to the legend of the three-headed dragon defeated by the warrior Gesio. The same rural identity is found in the local products — the Quarantino bean, the Volturara potato, the 'Palommina rossa' chestnut, and the Podolico caciocavallo cheese.

The pilgrimage within the Estate Volturarese

The departure of the Castellana is part of the Estate Volturarese program, the festival promoted by the municipal administration with the Pro Loco and local associations, which alternates religious rites, sporting events, and gastronomic appointments from June to October: in the same week, the town celebrates the Madonna della Piana, and in September, the Quarantino Bean Festival arrives.

Participating: what to know

Participation is free and open to all, but it is not a casual stroll: you walk at night on mountain roads, so training, proper shoes, water, and a flashlight are required. Those who do not undertake the entire journey can witness the blessing and departure in town. Precise times are communicated by the organizers in the days immediately preceding the event.