Madonna della Stella Festival

A devotion spanning the centuries

The Madonna della Stella Festival is the most heartfelt event of the year in Oriolo Romano, a small village in the province of Viterbo, nestled in the heart of northern Lazio on the edge of the Bracciano-Martignano Regional Park. The wooden statue venerated by the locals dates back to the early 18th century, and its devotion is traced back to the Altieri family, the founders of the town, whose coat of arms featured an eight-pointed star: the same Stella Maris that the Virgin holds in her hand.

The community credits her with protection during the 18th-century plague epidemics and the bombings of the Second World War. This is no ordinary festival; it is the identity narrative of an entire town, repeated every August in front of the Church of San Giorgio Martire, where the statue is kept in the Chapel of the Savior.

The ritual of the dressing

What makes this celebration unique is the cult of the so-called "dressed Madonnas", widespread in the Tuscia region but preserved here with particular richness. The Madonna della Stella possesses one of the most significant wardrobes in northern Lazio: at least twenty-three dresses, studied by art historian Luisa Caporossi, including a gown donated by Princess Altieri.

Starting on August 14th and continuing until September 8th, designated vestitrici (dressers) change the statue's attire every two or three days. It is an intimate, almost domestic gesture that transforms devotion into a daily dialogue between the town and its patroness.

The August 14th procession

The liturgical heart of the festival is the solemn procession on August 14th, when the Madonna della Stella is carried through the streets of the historic center, accompanied by the confraternity, the local band, and the entire population. Upon returning to the church, the cycle of dressing begins, while the square prepares for the more festive part of the evening.

Five days of celebration in the square

Surrounding the religious observance, the Pro Loco of Oriolo Romano traditionally organizes several days of festivities, which in recent years have extended from August 13th to the 16th or 17th. The program alternates between:

• evening musical performances in the square, featuring Italian pop music guests and themed nights;
• food stalls managed by the Pro Loco, serving traditional dishes from the Tuscia countryside;
• moments dedicated to children and families, including games, inflatables, and colorful parties;
• the Palio d'Oriolo, a competition between the town's districts, now in its early editions, featuring a "mini palio" for the little ones;
• the fireworks display that closes the festivities and illuminates the village.

Admission to all events in the square is traditionally free: the festival thrives on the voluntary work of the Pro Loco, the support of the Municipality, and contributions from the Lazio Region for summer events.

Oriolo Romano, a village to discover

Visitors arriving for the festival will find a 17th-century town built according to a regular urban plan commissioned by the Altieri family, with a long main street connecting Palazzo Altieri—now a state museum—to the parish church. Surrounding the town is the Oriolo Beech Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site among the ancient beech forests of Europe, and the nearby Lake Bracciano.

Visiting Oriolo Romano during Ferragosto means combining two experiences: participating in an authentic popular ritual, far from major tourist circuits, and discovering a hidden corner of the Tuscia region where village life has not yet become a staged performance for visitors.