Holy Thorns Festival and Anciuada del Castlan

The spring festival of Montechiaro Alto

The Holy Thorns Festival and Anciuada del Castlan is the event that, every first Sunday of May, brings life and visitors back to the cobblestone streets of Montechiaro Alto, the ancient hilltop village that crowns the municipality of Montechiaro d'Acqui, in the province of Alessandria, in the heart of the Piedmontese Apennines between the Acquese and Langa Astigiana areas. It is one of those village festivals that captures the soul of a community in a single day: religious devotion and the convivial pleasure of the table.

The Holy Thorns: a relic and a procession

The name refers to the Holy Thorns relic, fragments of Christ's Crown which, according to local tradition, were recovered in the Holy Land by a crusader knight and brought all the way up here following ancient pilgrim routes. On the day of the festival, the relic is carried in a solemn procession through the historic center, escorted by brothers in uniform, the so-called Batù of the Confraternity, who re-enact a rite linked to ancient jubilee pilgrimages. Holy Mass, celebrated in the late morning, precedes and accompanies the religious pageant.

The Anciuada del Castlan: anchovy sandwiches

Alongside the sacred dimension, there is the gastronomic one, which gives the festival its most popular name: the Anciuada del Castlan, or the 'Castellan's anchovy feast'. It is a reminder of the ancient trade in salt-cured anchovies that traveled up these valleys along the 'salt roads', now celebrated with the famous anchovy sandwiches dressed with the typical montechiarese sauce made with herbs. The distribution, managed by the Pro Loco of Montechiaro d'Acqui, is the most anticipated moment and attracts food lovers from all over the surrounding area.

Market, museum, and rural culture

The day is completed with a market of typical local products (honey, cheese, wine) and the opening of the Museum of Rural Life, housed in the church of Santa Caterina with its collection of rural tools and artifacts, and the Oratory of Sant'Antonio with its section dedicated to the history of the Confraternity. An authentic, free, and village-scale festival, perfect for those who want to discover the traditions of the Monferrato and Acquese areas on a spring Sunday.