Inchinata Procession

The Inchinata Procession in Cervara di Roma

Perched at over a thousand meters above sea level in the Simbruini Mountains, within the Upper Aniene Valley in the province of Rome, the village of Cervara di Roma preserves one of the oldest and most moving religious traditions in the Lazio region: the Inchinata Procession. Every year, between the evening of August 14th and the morning of Ferragosto, the town known as the "village of artists" gathers for a ritual that has remained almost unchanged since the early 1500s.

The Rite of the Encounter

The procession stages the meeting between the Madonna and Christ, shortly before his death. Two processions form at opposite ends of the village: one departs from the Collegiate Church, just below the medieval fortress, and the other from the "Portella," a small rural church located just outside the historic center. The two statues, carried on the shoulders of the faithful, move slowly along the stone alleys until they meet in the main square.

The most intense moment is the "inchino" (the bow): the two sacred images bow three times to one another beneath triumphal arches set up for the occasion. It is a solemn and emotional gesture, greeted by the applause and deep feeling of the crowd, which gives the entire celebration its name.

A Village in Celebration

The Inchinata Procession is accompanied by a brass band and a fireworks display that illuminates the sky above the village rooftops. On the morning of Ferragosto, the community gathers again for the final part of the rite, while on the evening of August 15th, the festivities continue in Piazza Umberto I with live music and entertainment.

The event is part of a rich calendar of summer activities that animate Cervara di Roma throughout August, featuring musical evenings, performances, food and wine stands, and other religious celebrations, such as the procession of Saint Roch on August 16th.

Tradition and Identity

More than just a religious function, the Inchinata represents a moment of strong collective identity for the inhabitants of Cervara di Roma and for the many who return to the village specifically for Ferragosto. Its 16th-century roots, the natural scenery of the village carved into the rock, and the popular participation make this procession one of the most authentic expressions of devotion and folklore in the Lazio hinterland.