Feast of the Madonna dei Miracoli

A celebration of devotion in the heart of the Sangro Valley

The Feast of the Madonna dei Miracoli is one of the most cherished events for the small community of Montebello sul Sangro, a municipality of just about a hundred inhabitants in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo. The village stands on a ridge overlooking the Sangro Valley, just a stone's throw from Lake Bomba, at an altitude of over 800 meters. In this setting of silence and mountain vistas, the Marian feast on June 11th serves as a moment of reflection and gathering for the entire population.

The procession and the Santa Giusta Parish Church

The heart of the celebration is the statue of the Madonna dei Miracoli, kept and venerated inside the Santa Giusta Parish Church, the spiritual center of the modern village. During the feast, the statue is carried in a procession through the village streets, followed by the faithful in a prayerful journey through the small hamlet. It is a ritual that renews the deep bond between the inhabitants and their Marian devotion every year.

The community reception

The religious dimension is complemented by a sense of community: in the evening, the municipal administration and the festival committee organize a reception open to all participants. It is a convivial moment where the village comes together, an opportunity for meeting that transcends the ritual and becomes a popular celebration, as simple and authentic as only small villages can offer.

Montebello sul Sangro and the memory of Buonanotte

Visiting Montebello sul Sangro during the feast is also an opportunity to discover a place with a unique charm. Until 1969, the village was called Buonanotte, a name linked to ancient medieval legends. Not far from the modern town lies the evocative old village of Buonanotte, abandoned in the 20th century due to landslides and now known as one of the ghost towns of Abruzzo. The Church of Santa Giusta, built at the beginning of the 20th century, replaced the ancient church of the old settlement destroyed by a landslide in 1887.

A free-entry event

The Feast of the Madonna dei Miracoli is free to attend and welcomes all citizens and visitors interested in participating. It is one of the best opportunities to get to know the religious traditions and community life of this authentic corner of the province of Chieti.