Madonna del Pozzo Fair and Festival

A Marian devotion rooted in Corato

The Madonna del Pozzo Fair and Festival is one of the most cherished events of late summer in Corato, a town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, in the heart of Puglia. Every year, following a decades-old tradition, the local community gathers around the image of the Virgin for a journey that intertwines religious and popular dimensions, featuring the novena of prayer, the city festival, and the historic commercial fair that fills the streets of the center.

The origins: the discovery of 1705

The devotion has its roots in the 18th century. The image of the Madonna del Pozzo was discovered on the last Sunday of August 1705 in Capurso, where the famous Marian Sanctuary stands. Since then, the cult has spread to many cities in Southern Italy, and Corato has become one of its strongholds. To avoid overlapping with the major festivities in Capurso, the Corato community traditionally moves its local celebration to the following Monday, allowing the faithful to also participate in the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary.

The novena at the Capuchin Church

The spiritual heart of the festival is the novena, which takes place in the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, known to locals as the Capuchin Church. For nine days, the community gathers in the afternoon for the meditated rosary, prayer to the Virgin, and holy mass, led by the parish priests. During these days, it is not uncommon for the novena to adopt a theme related to current events and the life of the community.

The city festival and the procession

The highlight is the city festival, with holy masses marking the day and the solemn procession that travels along the main street of Corato, accompanying the statue of the Madonna through decorated streets with the participation of the faithful. It is the moment when the entire city recognizes itself in its own religious and cultural identity.

The fair: market and tradition

Alongside the religious dimension is the Madonna del Pozzo Fair, a traditional commercial fair organized by the Municipality of Corato that occupies some of the main streets and squares of the center — including Corso Mazzini, Largo Plebiscito, via Roma, Corso Cavour, Corso Garibaldi, and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Stalls, street vendors, and authorized merchants enliven the historic center, in a custom that has always accompanied the great Apulian patronal festivals and transforms the religious recurrence into a moment of shared celebration for all citizens.

A late-summer appointment

Between the sacred and the profane, between reflection and joy, the Madonna del Pozzo Fair and Festival ideally closes the Corato summer and represents a precious opportunity to discover the authentic soul of this Apulian town. The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced: it traditionally takes place between the end of August and the first days of September.