Magna Inventio

Magna Inventio: the living memory of Cassano delle Murge

Magna Inventio is the historical re-enactment that every spring brings to life one of the episodes most cherished by the identity of Cassano delle Murge, a town in the inland Bari area of Apulia. For three days, usually in mid-May, the squares and streets of the historic center transform into a grand open-air stage, where participants in period costumes, folk songs, and religious rites recount the history and faith of a community deeply connected to its Sanctuary.

The legend of the 1855 discovery

The event celebrates the second discovery of the sacred image of the Madonna degli Angeli, a fresco kept in the grotto of the Sanctuary-Convent of Cassano delle Murge. According to local tradition, after an initial finding dating back to the Middle Ages, the Marian icon was rediscovered in 1855 by the Franciscan friars who cared for the convent at the time. The Cassano community has built its devotional memory around this episode, which the re-enactment translates into a pageant, prayer, and popular celebration.

Three days of history, faith, and tradition

The event takes place over a weekend and alternates between cultural, popular, and religious moments. It opens with an exhibition set up in the halls of the 18th-century Palazzo Miani-Perotti, dedicated to 19th-century trousseaus, lace, and accessories, which remains open for several days. The heart of the festival is Piazza Aldo Moro, enlivened by traditional songs and dances performed by local school children, food stalls, and guest folk groups.

The historical pageant and the procession

The most anticipated moment is the historical pageant: at nightfall, following the friars' announcement, the long procession of costumed figures winds through the town, passing through Piazza Moro, via Chimienti, via Cadorna, via Gramsci, via Diaz, Piazza Alighieri, via Vittorio Veneto, and Piazza Garibaldi. On Sunday, the pageant reaches the Convent square, accompanying the procession of the so-called Madonne de bbasce, the image of the Madonna degli Angeli brought from the Sanctuary grotto, and concludes with a solemn Eucharistic celebration on the convent grounds.

Exhibitions, gastronomy, and local culture

Alongside the pageant, the program offers conferences, guided tours, excursions to discover the historic center and the landscape of the Alta Murgia, games, and tastings of local products. It is an opportunity to rediscover the town's roots and promote the craftsmanship, cuisine, and popular traditions of the province of Bari.

A community event

Magna Inventio is organized by the Cassianum Social Promotion Association with the patronage of the Municipality of Cassano delle Murge and the support of local merchants. Founded in 2019, the re-enactment has quickly become one of the defining events of the city's calendar, drawing visitors from neighboring towns in the Bari Murgia area.