Marian Procession of Colli Portuensi

A May procession in the heart of Colli Portuensi

The Marian Procession of Colli Portuensi is a popular devotional event that brings the Gianicolense district of Rome, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio, to life during the Marian month of May. Promoted by the Nostra Signora di Coromoto Parish, the procession gathers the faithful for an evening candlelight walk through the neighborhood streets, restoring the community and spiritual dimension that characterizes the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary to the local squares and avenues.

The route through the neighborhood

The procession starts and concludes at Largo Nostra Signora di Coromoto, on the border between Colli Portuensi and the Gianicolense district. The procession of the faithful travels along Viale dei Colli Portuensi, continuing through Via Ronzoni, Via Battistini, Via Agnelli, and Piazzale Morelli, before returning to Viale dei Colli Portuensi. This route embraces the heart of the neighborhood and, due to its duration, causes temporary bus route diversions and restrictions each year, as indicated by official notices from Roma Servizi per la Mobilità.

The Parish of Nostra Signora di Coromoto

The community organizing the procession has unique roots. The parish, established in 1966, is dedicated to Nostra Signora di Coromoto, the patron saint of Venezuela: the name was chosen in memory of the contribution made by the Italian-Venezuelan community to the construction costs of the church, built between 1976 and 1978 based on a design by architect Massimo Battaglini and inaugurated in 1978. In 1985, Pope John Paul II established the titular church of «Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio» there. This bond gives the procession a character that is both local and universal, an expression of Marian devotion that unites Rome with Latin American tradition.

Faith, hymns, and community

As with all Marian month processions, the journey is marked by the recitation of the Rosary, hymns to the Madonna, and the participation of the faithful with torches and candles. It is a moment of reflection but also of gathering, where the neighborhood meets at dusk for a shared path of devotion. The procession represents one of the occasions when parish life leaves the church walls to become a living presence in the streets of Colli Portuensi.

An event in the heart of Rome's neighborhoods

Far from the major events of the historic center, the Marian Procession of Colli Portuensi tells the story of Rome's neighborhoods and parishes, those local traditions that continue to mark the district calendar. For those living in the Gianicolense and Colli Portuensi area, it is an appointment of identity and faith; for those visiting Rome in May, it is an authentic opportunity to discover the city's popular devotion beyond the tourist routes.