Madonna del Pozzo Festival (Festa Grande)

The Festa Grande of Capurso

Every year, between late August and early September, the town of Capurso — a small center on the outskirts of Bari, in the Apulian Metropolitan City — celebrates its Festa Grande in honor of the Madonna del Pozzo. It is one of the most attended Marian celebrations in Southern Italy: for several days, the streets of the historic center are filled with lights, stalls, music, and thousands of faithful who arrive on foot from all over Puglia to reach the Sanctuary.

The history: the discovery of 1705

The devotion began in 1705, when the local priest Father Domenico Tanzella, who was seriously ill, recovered after drinking water from an ancient well in the 'Piscine' area. On August 30 of that same year, having returned to the well, he found a sacred Byzantine effigy of the Virgin inside: that discovery gave rise to the cult that has animated the community for over three centuries. The chapel, blessed in 1706 under the title of Santa Maria del Pozzo, is now the heart of the Sanctuary-Basilica of the Madonna del Pozzo, guarded by the Friars Minor.

Between the sacred and the popular

The Festa Grande intertwines religious and secular dimensions. On the liturgical side, there are dawn 'Diane' (firework salutes), Eucharistic celebrations, and above all the solemn procession of the Sacred Image, which on the day of the feast crosses the town before returning to the Sanctuary. On the popular side, there is no shortage of the Triumphal Float, the historical pageant in costume re-enacting the 1705 discovery, grand brass band concerts (featuring historic ensembles like the Banda Città delle Grotte of Castellana or the Città di Rutigliano), and entertainment shows in the town squares.

Illuminations and 'Pozzo di Stelle'

The symbols of the festival are the impressive artistic illuminations that light up the main streets and squares, and above all the 'Pozzo di Stelle' pyromusical show, where fireworks and music merge into a single great nocturnal performance that attracts thousands of spectators. The days conclude with traditional firework displays and concerts in the town's main squares, from Piazza Umberto to Piazza Gramsci.

When

The Festa Grande is celebrated around the last Sunday of August, in memory of the discovery that took place on August 30, 1705, with celebrations extending until the octave in the first days of September. It is the most important event of the year for Capurso and a fixed stop for Marian devotion in Puglia.