La Corte in Festa

La Corte in Festa: the Middle Ages return to Chiusi della Verna

La Corte in Festa is the historical re-enactment that every summer transforms the village of Chiusi della Verna, in the heart of the Casentino valley in the province of Arezzo, into a medieval court. The event, organized by the Pro Loco La Verna APS in collaboration with the Municipality and the Sanctuary, celebrates one of the most significant episodes in Franciscan history: the donation of Mount La Verna to Saint Francis of Assisi.

An authentic episode of Franciscan history

The re-enactment is rooted in a real historical event. On May 8, 1213, during a celebration at the castle of San Leo in the Montefeltro region, Count Orlando Cattani of Chiusi met Francis of Assisi and gifted him Mount La Verna, so that he might find a solitary place for prayer and penance. The procession reconstructs the journey made by the Count and his retinue from the castle of Chiusi to the forest of La Verna to deliver the sacred mountain to the friar of Assisi. It is on these slopes that, a few years later, Francis would receive the stigmata, making La Verna one of the most venerated sites in Franciscanism.

The historical procession and performances

The highlight of the festival is the grand historical procession, which on Sunday afternoon moves from the town center, starting at Piazza dei Caduti, and reaches the Sanctuary of La Verna along the ancient pedestrian path known as the «ansilice», with a brief stop in the ancient village of La Beccia. Over one hundred participants in costume parade: nobles and ladies, knights and men-at-arms, commoners, drummers, and flag-wavers, accompanied by horses.

• Town crier's announcement to the population
• Historical procession in the afternoon from the village to the Sanctuary
• Re-enactment of the donation of the Sacred Mountain and the meeting between Count Orlando and Francis
• Performances by flag-waver groups and falconers
• Evening fire shows and medieval entertainment

Flavors and atmospheres of yesteryear

Alongside the re-enactment, La Corte in Festa offers a food and wine journey set in a medieval atmosphere: the Count opens the doors of his court and the village comes alive with banquets, taverns, and dinners along the streets of the historic center. It is an opportunity to taste the typical products of the Casentino and the Tuscan Apennines in a highly evocative setting.

An event recognized by the Tuscany Region

La Corte in Festa is included in the Calendar of Historical Re-enactment Events of the Tuscany Region, confirming the cultural and identity value of the event for the Municipality of Chiusi della Verna and the entire Casentino area. The re-enactment combines the spectacular dimension with the spiritual one, in a territory that guards one of the most important Franciscan sanctuaries in Italy.