Feast of Maria SS. di Gerusalemme

A devotion spanning centuries

The Feast of Maria SS. di Gerusalemme is the main patronal festival of Bellona, a town in the province of Caserta, Campania. Its roots reach back to the Middle Ages: as early as 1099, a chapel dedicated to the "Sancta Jerusalem" stood on Mount Rageto, but 1549 is the year popular memory marks as the foundation, when the faithful climbed the mountain in procession on Easter Tuesday, giving rise to what is considered the first procession of the feast.

Easter Tuesday, the heart of the feast

The festival calendar follows the liturgical Easter cycle: the main day falls on Easter Tuesday (Martedì in Albis), the Tuesday following Easter. On this day, the wooden statue of the Virgin, crafted in 1916, is carried in a solemn procession through every single street of Bellona, including the narrowest alleys. As the procession passes, the various districts of the town offer traditional pyrotechnic displays to the Madonna, accompanying the day with their thunderous reports in an atmosphere of shared celebration.

Religious rites and pyrotechnic shows

Devotion is the common thread of all the festivities, marked by solemn masses, the morning 'diana' (reveille), and processions that involve the entire community and pilgrims from neighboring towns. Alongside the liturgical moments, the Bellona feast is famous for its pyrotechnic dimension: the firework displays, featuring renowned Italian and international companies, are a defining trait of the event and attract enthusiasts from across the region.

The octave and the grand musical finale

The celebrations do not end in a single day: eight days after Easter Tuesday, the octave is celebrated, officially closing the festival. The final evening is held in the Market Area and features a grand concert open to all—a moment of music, emotion, and community spirit that bids farewell until the following year.

A community celebration

Organized by the Maria SS. di Gerusalemme Festival Committee, the feast is much more than a religious appointment: it is the very identity of Bellona renewing itself, involving pallbearers, districts, families, and associations in a collective effort that lasts all year round. For the visitor, it is an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of the Campanian tradition, where popular faith, spectacle, and a sense of belonging intertwine in the municipality of Bellona.