Madonna del Sacro Latte Festival

A patron saint watching over Mirabella Eclano since the 17th century

In the town of Mirabella Eclano, located in the heart of Irpinia (province of Avellino), February 2nd is no ordinary date. It is Candlemas (Candelora), and simultaneously the patronal feast of the Madonna del Sacro Latte, a devotion that defines the identity of this community in inland Campania more than any other. Tradition traces the cult back to around 1600, linking it inextricably to the region's seismic history: for centuries, the people of Mirabella have entrusted the Madonna del Latte with protection against earthquakes and natural disasters.

The relic and the 1674 silver statuette

The true object of veneration is a small ampoule containing a whitish substance, which popular piety identifies as the milk of the Virgin. According to tradition, the relic originated from the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem, where Mary is said to have nursed Jesus. During the Middle Ages and the 17th century, such relics were brought to Europe, particularly to be venerated by expectant mothers, those wishing for a child, and fragile or sick children.

• 1631 — Following the eruption of Vesuvius, which damaged the Church of the Annunziata, the community commissioned a life-sized wooden statue of the Virgin to house the precious relic.
• 1674 — The silver statuette, approximately 52 centimeters tall, was purchased for 632 ducats, funded by public donations and contributions from canons Carlo Quaranta and Ascanio Miletti.
• 1751 — During restoration work following an earthquake, a dedicated chapel was built inside the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
• February 4, 1793 — A minor earthquake spared the town, and tradition holds that the contents of the ampoule miraculously liquefied; since then, the festivities conclude every year on February 4th.

The ancient wooden statue, known as the Madonna della Vittoria, is now kept in the mother church, while the silver statuette—a masterpiece of ancient Irpinian sacred goldsmithing—is kept under maximum security and displayed to the faithful only during the festival days.

February 2nd: Procession, hymns, and the Candlemas Fair

The heart of the day is the procession that accompanies the Madonna del Sacro Latte through the streets of the historic center. The liturgical celebration includes the exposition of the reliquary for veneration, followed by traditional litanies and hymns invoking the patron's protection; among these is the hymn composed in the early 20th century by Canon F. S. D'Ambrosio. The religious aspect has always been complemented by the secular Candlemas Fair, a long-standing market event that brings stalls, local products, and handicrafts to the town streets on February 2nd.

Saint Blaise and the blessing of the throat

The festivities continue with the commemoration of Saint Blaise (San Biagio), protector of the throat, celebrated on February 3rd. The ritual is ancient and widely followed: the priest crosses two candles under the believer's chin and performs an anointing with blessed oil and a white feather, a gesture recalling the legend of the saint who saved a child from a fishbone stuck in his throat. It is one of the most attended moments of the entire three-day celebration.

A triduum concluding on February 4th

The relic and the image of Maria Santissima del Sacro Latte remain on display until February 4th, when the festivities conclude solemnly in memory of the averted danger of 1793. The solemn mass has often been presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Avellino.

What to expect

• A short, intense winter festival, quite different from the large summer food festivals of Campania.
• An entire community in the streets despite the cold, amidst hymns and church bells.
• A rare opportunity to see 17th-century sacred goldsmithing up close.
• Market stalls and a small-town fair atmosphere around the main square.

Mirabella Eclano beyond the patronal feast

Visitors arriving in Mirabella Eclano for Candlemas will find a town worth exploring beyond the procession. A short distance from the center lies the Aeclanum Archaeological Park, the ancient Samnite and later Roman city on the Via Appia from which the town takes its name. Mirabella is also known throughout Irpinia for another popular tradition of great impact, the Tirata del Carro, an imposing straw obelisk pulled in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows. Together, these events highlight a territory where popular faith remains the primary social glue.