Madonna del Soccorso Festival

A devotion born from a 1521 miracle

The Madonna del Soccorso Festival is the religious and cultural heart of Cori, an ancient village in the Lepini Mountains in the province of Latina, Lazio. Its origins date back to May 1521, when little Oliva Iannone, a three-year-old girl, disappeared in the mountains overlooking the town. Found alive eight days later, she recounted that a gentle Lady had taken care of her during her long absence. A fresco depicting the Virgin was discovered at the site of her recovery: from that miracle, the cult of the Madonna del Soccorso was born, and over a century later, in 1639, the Sanctuary that still houses the venerated image was built.

The festival today: between the sacred and the popular

Celebrated every second Sunday of May, the festival spans four days that weave together devotional practices and local folklore. The most solemn moment is the procession, when the ancient and heavy effigy of the Madonna is carried on the shoulders of the faithful through the streets of the historic center of Cori Alto, led by the town band. Following a tradition dating back to a 1521 municipal decree, the Municipality still offers a bundle of candles to the Virgin today, a sign of an unbroken civic loyalty.

The link with the Historical Carousel of the Districts

The Madonna del Soccorso Festival effectively opens the season of major events in Cori: the Palio of the Madonna del Soccorso is dedicated to the same Marian devotion, a ring-jousting tournament that, as part of the Carosello Storico dei Rioni, pits the knights of Cori's districts against one another. It is no coincidence that during the May festival, the Palio banners are presented in Piazza Signina and the flag-wavers perform, building anticipation for the summer re-enactment.

A village to discover

Experiencing the festival also means discovering Cori Alto, with its medieval alleys, the Roman-era Temple of Hercules, and views over the Lepini Mountains. The celebrations are concentrated between the Sanctuary, the Chapel of San Tommaso, and Piazza Signina, the beating heart of the town, where religious rites are accompanied by exhibitions, folklore workshops for children, evening concerts, and the unmissable tombola.