Jörgi / Agumser Kirchtag (Gumsr Kirchta)

A patronal festival rooted in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley

The Jörgi — also known as Agumser Kirchtag or, in the local Tyrolean dialect, Gumsr Kirchta — is the patronal festival of the hamlet of Agums (Agumes in Italian), a small village in the municipality of Prad am Stilfserjoch, in the autonomous province of Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige. Nestled in the Upper Vinschgau Valley (Vinschgau), at the foot of the Stelvio National Park massif, the festival is dedicated to Saint George — affectionately called Jörgi by the locals — and traditionally falls on April 24th, the day of his feast.

The blessing of the horses and the cult of Saint George

The most characteristic moment of the day is deeply tied to the mountain farming culture. In front of the church of Agums stands the famous statue of the saint on horseback, and around it gather the farmers from the surrounding mountain farms. According to an ancient custom, they bring their horses for a blessing, invoking Saint George's protection for the animals, which are essential for life and work in the fields.

This ceremony is accompanied by a evocative ritual: a small bunch of freshly sprouted green rye (known as Kournhottlen) is placed in the arm of the knight saint's statue as a good omen for the new agricultural year. In the tradition of Prad am Stilfserjoch, it is no coincidence that corn sowing was carried out in the days immediately preceding Saint George's Day.

After mass: pretzels, a market, and the celebration at the Festplatz

Once the religious service concludes, the day turns to conviviality. Bakers await the faithful with traditional pretzels (the typical knotted bread snacks), while small vendors and traders enliven the village with their wares. The festivities then continue at the Festplatz near Gargitz, where the FC Agums, the local football club, organizes the event, offering music, food, and drinks in a cheerful, popular setting.

A living fragment of South Tyrolean identity

The Agumser Kirchtag is one of those village festivals where the liturgical calendar and the agricultural cycle merge into a single community event. It is a still-vibrant tradition that marks the Vinschgau spring and maintains a strong bond between the inhabitants of Agums, their land, and their patron saints. For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of rural South Tyrol, far from the major tourist circuits and firmly anchored to its roots.