Festival of Our Lady of the Snows

An ancient festival on Lake Pusiano

In Pusiano, a municipality in the province of Como overlooking the lake of the same name in the heart of Brianza, the Festival of Our Lady of the Snows is the summer event. Celebrated on August 5th, the liturgical feast day of Our Lady of the Snows, it has its roots in an ancient tradition also linked to the history of the Silk Road that crossed these lands.

The lake that lights up

The symbolic image of the festival is the illuminated lake: from the evening, boats and floating candles dot the waters, creating a scene of rare charm. The highlight is the fireworks display reflected on the lake, attracting spectators from all over the Como and Lecco Brianza.

Midnight mass and August snow

The religious heart of the festival is the midnight mass at the sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows, during which an artificial snowfall evokes the famous miracle that, according to tradition, gave rise to the cult: a summer snowfall that indicated the place where the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was to be built. The following day, August 5th, numerous masses and moments of devotion follow.

Tradition and community

Organized by the Consulta per la Promozione del Territorio with the association Amici di Santa Maria, the festival also offers evening cruises with buffet dinners on the lake and a lottery draw. The Festival of Our Lady of the Snows in Pusiano, Lombardy, is an event that combines faith, spectacle, and love for one's lake, in one of the most poetic settings in Brianza.