Feast of San Pasquale Baylon and Maria SS. di Costantinopoli with the International Madonnari Competition
Popular devotion and ephemeral street art in the Pecorari district of Nocera Superiore
About International Madonnari Competition
A patronal feast that becomes an art gallery
In Nocera Superiore, located in the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese area of the Salerno province, the Pecorari community experiences its most intense time of the year in the second half of May: the solemn festivities in honor of Maria SS. di Costantinopoli and San Pasquale Baylon. It is a patronal feast in the truest sense—novenas, processions, artistic illuminations, brass bands, and concerts—but with a unique element that sets it apart in Campania: the International Madonnari Competition, which has been attracting street artists from all over the world to the district for nearly thirty years.
The International Madonnari Competition
Founded in 1999 by a parish priest who wanted to bring an ancient art form back to the streets, the competition revives the Renaissance tradition of the madonnari, itinerant painters who created sacred images on church pavements in exchange for offerings. In Nocera Superiore, this practice has evolved into a full-scale competition: artists are assigned a section of asphalt along Via Vincenzo Russo and work for days, hunched over the road surface, using chalk and powdered pigments. These works are designed to be fragile; a rain shower or the passage of time is enough to erase them, and this transience is a core part of the event's spiritual message.
Each year, the committee proposes a theme to guide the artists: in 2025 it was "Witnesses of Hope," while the 2026 edition asked artists to "Look at the world through the eyes of Francis of Assisi." Alongside the main section, there is space for younger participants with the Puer Madonnari gathering, and recent years have seen experiments with three-dimensional drawing.
The carpet of paintings and the procession
The symbolic moment is the blessing and inauguration of the "carpet of paintings": once the works are finished, the street is opened to the public and walked upon by thousands of people. On the evening of the feast, the procession carrying the statues of the patron saints slowly traverses the painted path, amidst the glowing illuminations and the sound of brass bands: it is the most photographed image of the festival and the one that best captures the essence of the entire event, where art is not mere decoration but an act of devotion.
Music, illuminations, and entertainment
The secular program accompanies the religious one throughout the festivities. Musical light displays, street performances, and evenings in Piazza Pecorari and Piazza Marco Polo draw large crowds from across the Agro area. Over the years, well-known names from the Neapolitan and national scene have performed on stage, and the competition's awards ceremony is traditionally capped off with a major concert that concludes the festival.
Nocera Superiore and the local context
The municipality of Nocera Superiore, in Campania, preserves remarkable historical layers: the ancient Nuceria Alfaterna once stood here, and it is home to the Early Christian Baptistery of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the oldest baptismal rotundas in the West. The Pecorari festival is part of a deeply rooted fabric of popular devotion, typical of the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese, where every neighborhood guards its own saint and its own calendar of rites. Participating means entering a community that mobilizes entirely, involving committees, the parish, volunteers, and families who host the artists.
Why it's worth attending
- An international ephemeral art competition with participants from Europe, the Americas, and Asia
- The chance to see the works as they are created, speaking directly with the madonnari at work
- An authentic patronal feast, not staged for tourists
- Completely free admission: everything takes place in the streets
- Easily accessible from Salerno, Pompeii, and Naples
International Madonnari Competition — edition 2026
27th International Madonnari Competition
The theme chosen for 2026, "Looking at the world through the eyes of Francis of Assisi," guided the works created on the asphalt of Via Vincenzo Russo: creation, fraternity, poverty, and environmental stewardship were the common threads of the paintings drawn with colored chalk. Registrations for artists from outside Campania were closed early due to the high number of requests, a sign of the competition's growing reputation.
A program between faith and entertainment
The festivities opened on May 8 with the enthronement of the patron saints' statues; from May 14, the event entered full swing with the musical lighting of artistic illuminations, street performances, and evening DJ sets. On May 15, the blessing of the chalk and the artists officially kicked off the competition, while on May 16, the ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurated the carpet of paintings, followed by a comedy show by Simone Schettino in Piazza Pecorari, the "Neomelodic Night," and a concert by rapper Ntò in Piazza Marco Polo.
Sunday, May 17, the feast day of San Pasquale, saw the solemn outdoor celebration presided over by Father Raffaele Corrado and the afternoon procession, which brought the entire Pecorari community into the streets; late in the evening, the procession crossed the carpet painted by the madonnari. The bad weather during those days did not stop the artists or the faithful. On Monday, May 18, the competition awards ceremony and the concert by Anna Tatangelo closed the secular program, while Tuesday, May 19, the solemn Mass with the Te Deum concluded the festivities.
Programme International Madonnari Competition 2026
Thursday, May 14
- Musical lighting of artistic illuminations
- Street performances throughout the Pecorari district
- Evening DJ set
Friday, May 15
- 7 PM: Holy Mass with the blessing of the chalk and the madonnari artists — official opening of the 27th International Madonnari Competition
- Start of work on the asphalt of Via Vincenzo Russo
- Live music in the main squares
Saturday, May 16
- Gathering of the "Puer Madonnari," the section dedicated to children
- 6 PM: Holy Mass
- 7 PM: Conclusion of the novena
- 9 PM: Official inauguration with ribbon-cutting and musical lighting
- 9:30 PM — Piazza Pecorari: Comedy show by Simone Schettino, followed by the "Neomelodic Night"
- 10:30 PM — Piazza Marco Polo: Concert by rapper Ntò
- Midnight: Traditional bell ringing
Sunday, May 17 — Feast Day
- Holy Masses at 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 10:00 AM
- 11:30 AM: Solemn outdoor celebration presided over by Father Raffaele Corrado
- 3:30 PM: Procession with the statues of Maria SS. di Costantinopoli and San Pasquale Baylon through the parish streets
- 10:00 PM: Procession crosses the carpet of paintings created by the madonnari
Monday, May 18 — Grand Finale
- 7 PM: Holy Mass with the entrustment of children to the Madonna
- Evening: Awards ceremony for the 27th International Madonnari Competition
- Followed by: Concert by Anna Tatangelo
Tuesday, May 19
- 7 PM: Solemn Holy Mass and Te Deum of thanksgiving to close the festivities
Highlights International Madonnari Competition 2026
- 27th edition of the International Madonnari Competition on the theme "Looking at the world through the eyes of Francis of Assisi"
- Via Vincenzo Russo transformed into an open-air museum, with chalk works created before the public's eyes
- Inauguration of the carpet of paintings on May 16, with ribbon-cutting and musical illuminations
- Procession of the patron saints crossing the works on the evening of May 17
- Concert by Anna Tatangelo on May 18, closing the event after the awards
- Comedy show by Simone Schettino and concert by rapper Ntò on the evening of May 16
- "Puer Madonnari" section reserved for young artists
Prices International Madonnari Competition 2026
Practical information — International Madonnari Competition
How to get there
By train: The Nocera Superiore station is on the Salerno-Naples line via Cava de' Tirreni, with frequent regional connections; from the station, the Pecorari district can be reached in a few minutes by car or local bus.
By car: Take the Nocera exit on the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway, then follow signs for the center and the Pecorari district. On peak evenings, traffic in the area is diverted and Via Vincenzo Russo is closed: it is advisable to arrive early and park in the peripheral areas.
By plane: Naples-Capodichino Airport is about 50 km away, and Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi Airport is about 20 km away.
Admission and costs
All events are free and take place outdoors: the madonnari route, concerts, processions, and celebrations. There is no ticketing system.
Tips
- The works are best admired in the late afternoon, when they are nearly complete and the light is low and grazing
- Wear comfortable shoes: the route is long and involves a lot of walking
- Do not step on the drawings and respect the barriers
- For accommodation, the widest range of options is found between Nocera Inferiore, Cava de' Tirreni, Pompeii, and Salerno
Contacts
Parrocchia Maria SS. di Costantinopoli, Via Pecorari 54, 84015 Nocera Superiore (SA) — tel. +39 081 5144811 — [email protected] — www.concorsomadonnari.it
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Where does it take place — International Madonnari Competition
Via Vincenzo Russo e Piazza Pecorari
Via Pecorari 54, 84015 Nocera Superiore