Madonna delle Grazie Festival (Rione Ferrovia)
Novena, illuminations, and fireworks for the Patron Saint of Benevento and Queen of Sannio
About Madonna delle Grazie
Benevento's most heartfelt festival
Between late June and early July, the Madonna delle Grazie Festival transforms Benevento. It is the most widely attended event in the Sannio capital, uniting devotion to the Patron Saint of the city and Queen of Sannio with a vibrant neighborhood celebration. The religious heart beats within the Basilica on Viale San Lorenzo, entrusted to the Friars Minor of Sannio and Irpinia, while the secular festivities take place in the Rione Ferrovia district, home to the annual funfair.
Origins: A city's vow
Marian worship in Benevento has ancient roots, but the festival as we know it today dates back to the 19th century. In 1837, during a violent cholera epidemic, the Municipality of Benevento made a vow to build a temple dedicated to the Virgin of Graces. The first stone was laid on May 20, 1839, by Monsignor Gioacchino Pecci, the future Pope Leo XIII, who was then the Apostolic Delegate in Benevento. The neoclassical church, built on a Greek cross plan, was consecrated on June 16, 1901, and granted the title of minor basilica in 1957. On the high altar, a wooden statue of the Madonna and Child, attributed to Giovanni Meriliano da Nola, is venerated. To this day, the Mayor's offering of a votive candle on July 2nd publicly renews that civic vow.
The novena and the days of solemnity
The festivities begin with a solemn novena: every evening features the welcoming of pilgrims, a meditated Rosary, a concelebrated Mass, and, late at night, the Serenade to Mary. The calendar includes days dedicated to healthcare workers, the memory of the faithful departed, and a vigil with nocturnal prayers on the eve of the solemnity. July 2nd is the most important day: celebrations start at dawn and culminate in a solemn Mass presided over by the Archbishop, with the Basilica packed with worshippers from across the Province of Benevento and Irpinia. The centuries-old tradition also includes a procession of the statue through the city center, along Viale San Lorenzo, Corso Dante, and Corso Garibaldi.
The Rione Ferrovia Funfair
For the people of Benevento, the funfair is an essential part of the festival. The rides occupy an area of about 600 square meters between Via Grimoaldo Re and Via San Giovanni di Dio, just a stone's throw from the railway station. Bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, a flying carpet, a ghost train, a flight simulator, and numerous children's attractions remain open for nearly two weeks, well beyond the religious celebrations. The choice of location is debated annually by the Municipality, fairground operators, and neighborhood committees, all striving to balance the festivities with the livability of the district.
Illuminations, stalls, and the flavors of Sannio
The perimeter of the secular festival includes Via Torre della Catena, Viale San Lorenzo, Corso Dante, Via Posillipo, and Via Nuova Calore: here, artistic illuminations light up the night, and market stalls line the streets.
- Food stands featuring traditional dishes and products from Benevento's cuisine
- Fairground sweets, torrone, and dried fruits, historic specialties of Sannio
- Religious items, souvenirs, and handicrafts
- Band music and entertainment along the streets of the center
The grand fireworks finale
The most anticipated moment arrives at the close of the festivities: a twenty-minute fireworks display, launched from Viale Vittime di Nassirya, which draws thousands of spectators from Benevento and neighboring provinces. It is the final salute to the Patron Saint and, for many, the true sign that the Sannio summer has begun.
When to go and what to expect
The festival is free and takes place outdoors, with the atmosphere of a large fair transplanted into the city. Those seeking a spiritual dimension will find novenas, confessions, and celebrations from dawn until late evening in the Basilica; families will enjoy the rides, lights, and fireworks. In either case, the Madonna delle Grazie Festival remains one of the best ways to understand the identity of Benevento and inland Campania, where popular religiosity and neighborhood life continue to intertwine.
Madonna delle Grazie — edition 2026
A jubilee year for the Basilica
The 2026 edition held special significance: on the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Basilica of Maria Santissima delle Grazie, managed by the Friars Minor of Sannio and Irpinia, was designated a jubilee church. The novena, from June 22 to 30, featured the welcoming of pilgrims, a meditated Rosary, a concelebrated Mass, and the Serenade to Mary at 10:00 PM each evening.
Celebrations on July 2 and 3
Thursday, July 2, the solemnity of Maria Santissima delle Grazie, saw celebrations begin at 6:00 AM. At 10:00 AM, Archbishop Michele Autuoro presided over the Eucharist in the Basilica for the first time, with the offering of the votive candle by Mayor Clemente Mastella. Friday, July 3, was dedicated to the Feast of the Franciscan Family of Sannio and Irpinia, with an 11:00 AM celebration presided over by the Provincial Minister, Friar Antonio Tremigliozzi, and the entrustment of children to the Madonna at 5:00 PM.
Funfair and neighborhood festival
The Municipality of Benevento authorized illuminations, stalls, a brass band, and fireworks in the area between Via Torre della Catena, Viale San Lorenzo, Corso Dante, Via Posillipo, and Via Nuova Calore, recognizing the event as a matter of general interest for the city. The funfair, covering about 600 square meters between Via Grimoaldo Re and Via San Giovanni di Dio, hosted 26 attractions, from bumper cars to the Ferris wheel.
Programme Madonna delle Grazie 2026
Funfair at Rione Ferrovia, June 24 to July 6, 2026
Area of about 600 square meters between Via Grimoaldo Re and Via San Giovanni di Dio, with 26 attractions: bumper cars, flying carpet, Ferris wheel, ghost train, Evolution 360, Matterhorn, Derby Day, flight simulator, and children's rides.
Novena, June 22 to 30, 2026
- 6:00 PM, welcoming of pilgrims
- 6:20 PM, meditated Holy Rosary
- 7:00 PM, solemn concelebrated Mass
- 10:00 PM, Serenade to Mary: a brief moment of prayer and reflection
Special novena events
- Tuesday, June 23, 9:00 PM: Theological catechesis by Father Luigi Maria Epicoco on Mary, Icon of Grace
- Friday, June 26, 7:00 PM: Celebration dedicated to healthcare workers
- Saturday, June 27: Day of Light, in memory of the faithful departed
- Wednesday, July 1: Day of the Basilica's benefactors, with a vigil and nocturnal prayer at 11:00 PM
Solemnity of Maria Santissima delle Grazie
- Thursday, July 2, 6:00 AM: First morning celebration
- Thursday, July 2, 10:00 AM: Solemn concelebration presided over by Archbishop Michele Autuoro, with the offering of the votive candle by Mayor Clemente Mastella
- Friday, July 3, 11:00 AM: Feast of the Franciscan Family of Sannio and Irpinia, presided over by Provincial Minister Friar Antonio Tremigliozzi
- Friday, July 3, 5:00 PM: Entrustment of children to the Madonna
- Friday, July 3, midnight: Final fireworks display, approx. 20 minutes
Secular festivities, June 30 to July 3, 2026
Artistic illuminations, stalls, food stands, and a brass band in the area between Via Torre della Catena, Viale San Lorenzo, Corso Dante, Via Posillipo, and Via Nuova Calore. Fireworks batteries positioned on Viale Vittime di Nassirya, where parking was prohibited from 5:00 PM on July 3.
Highlights Madonna delle Grazie 2026
- The solemn concelebration on July 2 with the Mayor's offering of the votive candle, a rite renewing the city's vow
- The Rione Ferrovia funfair with 26 attractions, open from June 24 to July 6
- The final twenty-minute fireworks display on the night of July 3, handled by the Russo (Pannarano) and PYRO (Pignataro Maggiore) companies
- Artistic illuminations and stalls along Viale San Lorenzo and Corso Dante
- Catechesis by Father Luigi Maria Epicoco on Mary, Icon of Grace, on June 23
- The Basilica as a jubilee church for the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi
Prices Madonna delle Grazie 2026
Practical information — Madonna delle Grazie
Getting there
By train: Benevento Centrale station is located in the Rione Ferrovia district, a few minutes' walk from the funfair area, with regional connections to Naples, Caserta, Avellino, and Foggia. By car: Benevento can be reached from the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway via the motorway junction, as well as from the SS 7 Appia and SS 88 dei Due Mari state roads. By plane: The nearest airport is Naples-Capodichino, about an hour away.
Traffic and parking
During the festivities, the Municipality of Benevento implements a dedicated traffic plan: Via Grimoaldo Re and Via San Giovanni di Dio remain closed for the duration of the funfair, while Viale San Lorenzo, Corso Dante, and Corso Garibaldi are closed to traffic in the evenings and on the day of the procession. It is advisable to leave your car in peripheral parking lots and reach the center on foot. Waste collection schedules in the historic center may also change during the festival days.
Costs and rules
Admission to celebrations, the fair, and the fireworks display is free; rides and food purchases are paid. In recent years, the sale of drinks in glass bottles and cans has been prohibited in the festival area: vendors serve in disposable cups.
Contacts
Basilica di Maria Santissima delle Grazie, Viale San Lorenzo 8, 82100 Benevento, tel. +39 0824 328216. For parking and traffic information: Municipality of Benevento.
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Where does it take place — Madonna delle Grazie
Basilica di Maria Santissima delle Grazie e Rione Ferrovia
Viale San Lorenzo 8, 82100 Benevento