Festival of Our Lady of the Crowned

A tradition between faith and the farming world

In Santa Croce di Magliano (province of Campobasso), the festival of Our Lady of the Crowned falls on the last Saturday of April — in the local dialect «u lut'm sabb't d'abbrìl» — and is one of the most defining events in Basso Molise. Devotion is historically linked to the sanctuary of the Incoronata in Foggia, a pilgrimage destination for the pastoral tradition.

The blessing of animals

The heart of the festival is the blessing of the animals from the farms: horses, cows, sheep, goats, and oxen come from Santa Croce and nearby towns and make three symbolic laps around the church of San Giacomo Apostolo before receiving the blessing from the parish priest. It is an ancient rite that blends Marian religiosity and agro-pastoral culture.

The Scarciacappa and the knights

Among the most characteristic elements is the Scarciacappa, a symbolic figure dressed in tattered clothes who leads a pair of yoked oxen and represents the transition from winter to spring. The knights wear the typical cheese braid, a gastronomic symbol of the town, shared as a gesture of blessing. The day culminates with the procession of the statue of Our Lady of the Crowned, led by the horses. The festival is organized by the association I Cavalieri dell'Incoronata APS and takes place in parallel with the Spring Days of Santa Croce.