Feast of the Virgin Annunciata

A Marian feast at the foot of Mount Vesuvius

The Feast of the Virgin Annunciata is one of the most cherished religious events in Boscotrecase, a town in the province of Naples, Campania, located on the southern slopes of Mount Vesuvius between Trecase, Boscoreale, and Torre Annunziata. The festivities revolve around the Ave Gratia Plena parish, the church that locals have always called the Annunziatella, which also gives its name to the surrounding neighborhood.

This is not a food festival or a commercial fair; it is a community-driven celebration organized by the parish, consisting of prayer, sacred music, social moments, and a procession that winds through the main streets of the town, with families gathering on the church square.

Why the feast is celebrated in May

The liturgical solemnity of the Annunciation falls on March 25th, but in Boscotrecase, the external festivities are postponed to the month of May, which is traditionally dedicated to Mary. The feast thus coincides with the conclusion of the Marian month and takes place during a time of year more favorable for processions and outdoor events, when the Vesuvian spring is in full bloom. This is a common practice among several communities in the Vesuvius area, which has given these days a unique identity, distinct from the liturgical calendar date.

A parish with over three and a half centuries of history

The Ave Gratia Plena parish was established in 1668: in that year, the University of Boscotrecase, facing a sharp population increase, requested the creation of new parishes from the Archdiocese of Naples. Along with the Annunziatella, Sant'Anna in the Oratorio district and Spirito Santo in Terra Vecchia were erected: three churches that still define the devotional geography of the town today.

The Baroque-style building was enriched in the 18th century with polychrome marble, stucco, and paintings; the baptismal font, dated 1668, is believed to be much older. Severely damaged by the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, particularly in its dome, the church remained closed for a long time and was reopened for worship in 2001, with the consecration of a new altar. The Annunziatella also appears in the 1952 film Due soldi di speranza by Renato Castellani.

How the festivities unfold

The calendar, concentrated in the final days of May, alternates between liturgical events and community gatherings:

• Concert of Marian hymns: the feast opens with an evening of prayer and music performed by guest choirs, such as the choir of the Parish of the Most Precious Blood (Preziosissimo Sangue) of Torre del Greco.
• Solemn Eucharistic Celebration on Saturday evening, with the participation of local religious communities.
• Social gathering: after the evening service, parish volunteers organize a sandwich party, accompanied by entertainment for children and other initiatives designed to involve the entire community.
• Solemn Mass on Sunday morning, celebrated in a packed Annunziatella, followed by the procession.

The procession through the town streets

The highlight is the Sunday procession, which carries the image of the Virgin Annunziata along the main streets of the municipality. It is made possible by the dozens of bearers who take turns carrying the statue: a service passed down from generation to generation, which in Boscotrecase, as throughout the Vesuvius area, is experienced as both an honor and a kept promise. Along the route, the procession pauses in front of the homes of the faithful and at significant landmarks, while balconies and doorways are decorated for the occasion.

Boscotrecase and the Vesuvius territory

Boscotrecase is a small town on the southern side of Mount Vesuvius, included in the Vesuvius National Park and deeply marked by the 1906 eruption, which overwhelmed much of the town and remains a central episode in local collective memory. The patron saint is Saint Anne, celebrated in July, while the devotion to the Annunziata is specifically linked to the Annunziatella neighborhood and parish.

The town is located just a few kilometers from the Pompeii Excavations and the trails leading up to the Great Cone of Mount Vesuvius: for those visiting the Vesuvian area, the Feast of the Virgin Annunziata is an opportunity to discover a less touristy and more authentic side of this territory, where popular religiosity remains a vital social bond.