Fair and Feast of the Madonna dei Miracoli

The spring patronal feast of Trepuzzi

The Fair and Feast of the Madonna dei Miracoli is the most cherished devotional event in the Municipality of Trepuzzi, a town of approximately 14,000 residents in the province of Lecce, in the heart of the Salento region of Puglia. It is celebrated annually on Divine Mercy Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, uniting the entire community around the venerated effigy of the Virgin housed in the Mother Church of Maria Santissima Assunta.

The miracle of 1799

The feast has its roots in a story passed down through local tradition. In 1799, a French garrison stationed in Lecce headed toward Trepuzzi with the intention of looting the town. The inhabitants took refuge in the church where the statue of the Madonna Assunta was kept, and during their prayers, they noticed the Virgin's face appeared wet, as if covered in sweat. According to the account, a thick fog suddenly enveloped the town, making it impossible to find, and the soldiers retreated without completing the looting. The people of Trepuzzi interpreted the event as a maternal intervention by the Madonna to protect the city, and they have invoked her as the Madonna dei Miracoli ever since.

Rites and processions on Divine Mercy Sunday

The event, originally set for April 12th, was moved to Divine Mercy Sunday to avoid overlapping with Easter solemnities. The festivities open with a solemn procession to the Marian column in Largo Margherita, attended by religious, civil, and military authorities. On the eve of the feast, the Eucharistic celebration is followed by an evening procession featuring the statue of the Virgin through the town streets. On the day of the feast, greeted by church bells and fireworks, a series of Holy Masses take place, culminating in a solemn celebration with the singing of the Te Deum in thanksgiving.

The market fair

Alongside the religious dimension, the feast preserves its historic market fair, which fills the town center with stalls selling textiles, pottery, and various goods. It is one of the traditional commercial events of Trepuzzi, a legacy of the ancient Salento village fairs, and is highly popular among residents and visitors from neighboring towns.

Sacred music and parish choirs

Sacred music plays a leading role. The civic festivities host concerts involving community choirs, including the Maria SS. Assunta parish choir, the Santa Famiglia choir, and the San Michele Arcangelo choir, accompanied by the local town band, performing Marian hymns tied to local tradition.

Trepuzzi and Salento

Located just a few kilometers from Lecce, along the historic Valle della Cupa, Trepuzzi houses a valuable artistic heritage in its 17th-century Mother Church. The Feast of the Madonna dei Miracoli, along with the Feast of the Assumption in August and the Fair of San Raffaele Arcangelo in October, marks the town's devotional calendar and represents an opportunity to rediscover the culture, gastronomy, and popular traditions of this corner of Puglia.