Madonna del Castello Festival

A festival in the heart of the Vergante

The Madonna del Castello Festival is the most heartfelt devotional event in Invorio, a small town in the Province of Novara nestled in the hills of the Vergante region, in Piedmont. The heart of the celebration is the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Castello, which crowns the highest point of the Invorio Superiore hamlet, an ancient village that became a parish as early as 1007.

The sanctuary on the ruins of the Visconti castle

The sanctuary stands on the remains of an ancient Visconti fortress, from which it takes its name. Built between the 14th and 15th centuries, it is an oratory dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of the Girdle: inside, it preserves a precious gilded wooden statue of Mary in the act of offering the sacred girdle while holding the Baby Jesus. The black inlaid marble high altar, the late 19th-century frescoed dome, and the statues of saints in the side chapels make the sanctuary a small jewel of art and devotion that overlooks the entire valley.

Tradition, faith, and memory

The festival is rooted in deep popular devotion. According to tradition, during the Risorgimento and the World Wars, those who left their image at the feet of the Madonna's statue before leaving for the front would return safely: for this reason, the festival is also a moment of collective memory, linking faith to the history of the town's families.

The procession and the auction of offerings

The most anticipated moment is the candlelight procession: the statue of the Madonna is carried in a pageant from the town up to the sanctuary, accompanied by solemn hymns and the glow of torches illuminating the hillside climb. Also characteristic is the incanto delle offerte, the auction of votive gifts that echoes through the village streets and raises funds for the maintenance of the sanctuary, in an atmosphere of participation that involves the entire community.

When it is celebrated

The festival is traditionally spread over several days of celebrations, culminating on Divine Mercy Sunday (Domenica in Albis), the first Sunday after Easter. It is an opportunity to rediscover an authentic corner of the Piedmontese lake district, just a few kilometers from Lake Maggiore, amidst spirituality, rural traditions, and the hospitality of the local Pro Loco and Vergante associations.