Opening of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sacro Monte (Triduum and Extraction of the Centa)
The seasonal opening of the sanctuary on Mount Gelbison, featuring the triduum, the Extraction of the Centa, and the dawn pilgrimage
About Opening of the Sacro Monte
The mountain reopens its doors
Every spring, when the snow clears from the summit of Mount Gelbison, the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima del Sacro Monte becomes accessible to the faithful once again. The seasonal opening, celebrated in the municipality of Novi Velia in the province of Salerno, in the heart of Cilento and Campania, is more than just a reopening: it is the festival that launches an entire season of pilgrimages, running from the last Sunday of May to the second Sunday of October.
Four days of triduum, lottery, and journey
The calendar spans four days. The first two are dedicated to the preparatory triduum, with the Rosary and evening celebrations in the village church. Saturday is the day of the Extraction of the Centa, the moment most awaited by the community, followed by Mass and a procession through the historic center. On Sunday, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the ascent to the sanctuary takes place: the blessing of the pilgrims at five in the morning, the walk along the paved path that climbs for about three and a half kilometers, and, at noon, the Solemn Mass presided over by the bishop.
What is the Centa?
The cente are lightweight wooden structures, shaped like boats or towers, upon which votive candles and colorful ribbons are mounted, which pilgrims bring as gifts to the Madonna. In Novi Velia, the centa must be carried by an unmarried girl, whose name is drawn by lot the day before the pilgrimage: tradition holds that the young woman will find a husband within the year. It is a ritual that combines devotion, village celebration, and family memory, repeated almost identically for generations. Some groups are joined by torcioni, large painted candles similar to Easter candles.
An ancient sanctuary
The sanctuary stands at an altitude of 1,705 meters, on the highest peak of inland Cilento. Documentary sources mention it as early as the 12th century, and local tradition traces its origins to Italo-Greek monasticism: the wooden statue of the Virgin, with its elongated dark face and Byzantine-style eyes, is the most evident sign of that Eastern influence. In 1323, Baron Tommaso Marzano purchased it from the Bishop of Capaccio to donate it to the Celestinian monks; since 1800, it has been under diocesan management and today belongs to the Diocese of Vallo della Lucania.
A devotion that crosses regional borders
It is not only the people of Cilento who climb to the Sacro Monte. Groups of pilgrims arrive from Basilicata, Calabria, and across the province of Salerno, often on foot and sometimes barefoot, carrying banners and singing religious songs in dialect. Before entering the church, they perform the three ritual laps around the building. Even the young Carlo Acutis, during his summers in Cilento, used to climb up here: a detail that has brought a new flow of visitors to the sanctuary in recent years.
What to expect
- A challenging ascent, but accessible to anyone with proper footwear, through chestnut and beech forests
- The silence of the summit and a vast panorama over inland Cilento
- Open-air celebrations, the singing of the groups, and the arrival of the cente
- An entirely free event, open to pilgrims, hikers, and curious visitors
- The option to ascend on foot from Novi Velia or by car along the carriage roads
After the opening
With the Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity, the season truly begins: the sanctuary remains open until the second Sunday of October, with daily Masses and an influx that peaks during the Ferragosto holidays. From October, the statue descends to the valley for the Peregrinatio Mariae in the parish communities of the diocese, only to return the following year. It is a cycle that has marked time in this part of Campania for centuries, making the opening of the Sacro Monte much more than a date on the calendar: it is the moment when inland Cilento sets out on its journey once again.
Opening of the Sacro Monte — edition 2026
An opening on the day of the Most Holy Trinity
In 2026, the two occurrences coincided: May 31 was both the last Sunday of the month and the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the date that has marked the reopening of the sanctuary on Mount Gelbison for centuries. However, the festival began on Thursday with the preparatory triduum in the church of Novi Velia.
The Centa and the Saturday procession
On Saturday, May 30, the square in front of the church filled up for the Extraction of the Centa, the lottery that designates the girl chosen to carry the group's votive gift to the sanctuary. This was followed by Holy Mass and the evening procession through the streets of the village, accompanied by the Rosary and the triduum.
The ascent and the Bishop's Mass
On Sunday at dawn, at five in the morning, the blessing of the pilgrims opened the ascent on foot. Those who reached the mountain by car joined at the Croce di Rofrano at 8:30 AM. After confessions, at 11:45 AM, the sacred effigy was unveiled, and at noon, the Mass was presided over by Mons. Vincenzo Calvosa, Bishop of the Diocese of Vallo della Lucania and rector of the sanctuary. In the afternoon, the farewell to the Madonna, the return to the valley, and at 6:00 PM, the reception of the Centa at the Ristoro with the final procession toward the church.
A five-month-long season
This day opened the 2026 pilgrimage season, which will continue until the second Sunday of October, when the statue will return to the valley for the Peregrinatio Mariae in the parishes of the diocese.
Programme Opening of the Sacro Monte 2026
Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29 - Preparatory Triduum
- 6:00 PM - Holy Rosary
- 6:30 PM - Triduum in honor of the Madonna del Sacro Monte
Saturday, May 30 - Extraction of the Centa
- 5:30 PM - Meeting in the square in front of the church
- 6:00 PM - Extraction of the Centa
- 6:30 PM - Holy Mass
- 7:00 PM - Procession through the village streets with Rosary and triduum
Sunday, May 31 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
- 5:00 AM - Blessing of the pilgrims and departure on foot from Novi Velia
- 8:30 AM - Meeting at the Croce di Rofrano for those arriving by vehicle
- 9:00 AM - Ascent to the sanctuary
- 10:30 AM - Confessions
- 11:45 AM - Meeting at the sanctuary and unveiling of the sacred effigy of the Madonna
- 12:00 PM - Holy Mass presided over by Bishop Mons. Vincenzo Calvosa
- 3:00 PM - Farewell to the Madonna and return
- 6:00 PM - Reception of the Centa at the Ristoro, procession to the church, and final Holy Mass
After the opening
The sanctuary remains open to pilgrims until the second Sunday of October 2026, with daily celebrations. From October 2026 to May 2027, the Peregrinatio Mariae is scheduled in the parish communities of the Diocese of Vallo della Lucania.
Highlights Opening of the Sacro Monte 2026
- Extraction of the Centa, Saturday, May 30 at 6:00 PM in the church square
- Blessing of the pilgrims and departure on foot at 5:00 AM on Sunday, May 31
- Unveiling of the sacred effigy of the Madonna at 11:45 AM at the summit
- Solemn Mass at 12:00 PM presided over by Bishop Mons. Vincenzo Calvosa
- Reception of the Centa at the Ristoro and final procession at 6:00 PM
- Ascent to the sanctuary at 1,705 meters along the pilgrims' paved path
Prices Opening of the Sacro Monte 2026
Practical information — Opening of the Sacro Monte
How to get there
Novi Velia is located on the slopes of Mount Gelbison, a few kilometers from Vallo della Lucania. The nearest train station is Vallo della Lucania-Castelnuovo, on the Salerno-Reggio Calabria Tyrrhenian line; by car, take the A2 Autostrada del Mediterraneo and continue along the SS18. To reach the summit, you can follow the paved path of about three and a half kilometers that starts from the village, or take the carriage roads that climb from Vallo della Lucania and Rofrano. Pilgrims arriving by vehicle usually meet at the Croce di Rofrano.
Hours and contacts
During the opening season, the sanctuary offers Eucharistic adoration and Lauds at 8:30 AM on weekdays, Mass at 9:30 AM, the Rosary at 10:30 AM, Mass at 11:00 AM, Mass at 5:00 PM (from July to September), and Vespers at 5:30 PM; on holidays, Mass is at 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Information: phone +39 0974 270056 or +39 377 3249759, email [email protected].
Practical tips
- Bring hiking boots, water, and a jacket: at that altitude, the temperature is significantly lower than in the valley, even at the end of May.
- Those starting on foot at dawn should allow for about two hours of uphill walking.
- The sanctuary remains open from the last Sunday of May to the second Sunday of October; it is closed in winter due to snow.
- For overnight stays, the widest range of accommodation is found in Vallo della Lucania and along the Cilento coast.
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Where does it take place — Opening of the Sacro Monte
Santuario di Maria Santissima del Sacro Monte (Monte Gelbison) e centro storico di Novi Velia