Our Lady of the Snows Festival and Mount Cervati Pilgrimage
The thousand-year-old pilgrimage of the marunnari between Sanza and the highest peak in Campania
About Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza
A ritual renewed for over a thousand years
In Sanza, a small town in the Province of Salerno nestled at the foot of Mount Cervati, the Our Lady of the Snows Festival is more than just a patronal feast: it is the moment when the entire community reaffirms its identity through a gesture repeated for generations. The devotion has its roots in the early Middle Ages—the chapel on the summit of Cervati dates back to the 9th century—and an 18th-century document preserved by the Archconfraternity of Santa Maria della Neve attests that the cult was already vibrant even before the sanctuary was built. Scholars see in it the continuity of ancient Mediterranean mountain cults, reinterpreted and integrated by the Italo-Greek monasticism that deeply marked this part of Campania.
The marunnari and the night ascent to Cervati
The heart of the festival is the pilgrimage. On the night between July 25th and 26th, eight bearers—the marunnari—lift the 16th-century wooden statue of the Madonna and Child onto their shoulders and tackle the twelve kilometers of the ancient path that climbs from the village to the summit sanctuary, at nearly 1,900 meters above sea level. Behind them moves a river of faithful with torches, amidst stops, chants, and prayers, in a walk that lasts all night and concludes at dawn on the roof of Campania. The statue then remains in the sanctuary for about ten days, a destination for hikers and devotees.
The cente, votive offerings of candles and wheat
Among the most spectacular elements of the tradition are the cente: large votive structures made of candles, flowers, and wheat stalks, carried balanced on the head, especially by women, often barefoot as a sign of penance and received grace. They are a heritage of ritual craftsmanship passed down through families, making the Sanza procession immediately recognizable compared to any other Marian feast in Southern Italy.
The return of the Virgin on the night of August 4th to 5th
The most anticipated moment is the return. On the night between August 4th and 5th, the statue leaves the sanctuary and is carried back on shoulders along the path to the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta, arriving at the first light of dawn, welcomed by the sound of bells and the crowd. On August 5th, the liturgical solemnity of Our Lady of the Snows, the village experiences a full day of celebrations: holy masses in the Mother Church, a procession through the historic center, and an evening outdoor Eucharistic celebration in Piazza Giovanni Falcone.
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Campania
In 2021, the Campania Region included the pilgrimage of Our Lady of the Snows of Sanza among the regional Intangible Cultural Heritage Elements, within the Inventory of the Intangible Heritage of Campania. This recognition rewards a tradition shared with the nearby town of Piaggine, whose municipal territory borders that of Sanza right on the slopes of Cervati, and which Sanza emigrants have exported by founding congregations dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows in New York, Argentina, and Australia.
Mount Cervati, the roof of Campania
The pilgrimage takes place within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mount Cervati is the highest mountain in the region and guards ancient beech forests, sinkholes, springs, and the cave of Our Lady of the Snows. Climbing at night with the pilgrims means crossing one of the most pristine natural environments in Southern Italy, with the arrival at the summit rewarded by a view that, on clear days, stretches from the Gulf of Policastro to the Lucanian Apennine chain.
Music and hospitality in the summer of Sanza
Around the religious celebrations, the Municipality of Sanza builds a cultural program every year. In 2026, the festivities for Our Lady of the Snows are accompanied by the Hospitality Festival, a free event promoted by the Municipality with the Campania Region and the Campania dei Festival Foundation, which brings big names in Italian music to the village. Faith, collective memory, and entertainment thus coexist in a handful of days, making this Cilento village one of the most intense destinations of the Campanian summer.
Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza — edition 2026
The 2026 calendar
In Sanza, in the Cilento region, the Our Lady of the Snows festival occupies almost two weeks of the calendar. Everything began on the night between July 25th and 26th, 2026, when the eight marunnari loaded the 16th-century statue onto their shoulders and traveled the twelve kilometers of the ancient path to the sanctuary on the summit of Mount Cervati, followed by a long procession of pilgrims with torches and women carrying votive cente.
In the following days, the summit sanctuary remained open and was a destination for hikers and devotees. The culminating moment is the return of the Virgin on the night between August 4th and 5th: the descent on shoulders concludes at dawn in front of the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta, amidst the sound of bells and the community's welcome.
The day of August 5th and the musical finale
On August 5th, the solemnity of Our Lady of the Snows, the village experiences its most intense day with holy masses in the Mother Church, the procession through the historic center, and the evening outdoor celebration. On August 6th, the festivities close with a concert by Giuliano Palma, a historic voice of Italian ska and soul, in Piazza Giovanni Falcone: a free event included in the cultural program of the Municipality of Sanza supported by the Ministry of Culture and local partners.
Programme Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza 2026
Night between July 25th and 26th, 2026 — The ascent
- Night departure from the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta: the eight marunnari carry the 16th-century statue of Our Lady of the Snows on their shoulders
- Twelve kilometers of ancient path to the sanctuary on the summit of Mount Cervati, accompanied by pilgrims with torches and votive cente
- Arrival at altitude and celebration at dawn at the sanctuary
From July 26th to August 4th — Stay at the summit
- The Mount Cervati sanctuary remains open and is a destination for pilgrims and hikers
Night between August 4th and 5th, 2026 — The return of the Virgin
- Night descent on shoulders from the summit to the village
- Arrival at dawn at the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Sanza
Wednesday, August 5th, 2026 — Solemnity of Our Lady of the Snows
- Holy masses in the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta
- Procession through the streets of the historic center
- Evening outdoor Eucharistic celebration in Piazza Giovanni Falcone
- The exact times of the celebrations are announced by the parish and the Archconfraternity in the days immediately preceding
Thursday, August 6th, 2026 — Concert
- Giuliano Palma in concert in Piazza Giovanni Falcone, in honor of the Our Lady of the Snows celebrations — free admission
Around the festival — 2026 Hospitality Festival
- July 31st: Nek, «Nek Hits Live Tour 2026», Villa Comunale of Piazza San Francesco
- August 9th: Alex Britti, «BRITTINTOUR '26», Villa Comunale of Piazza San Francesco
- Free event promoted by the Municipality of Sanza with the Campania Region and the Campania dei Festival Foundation
Highlights Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza 2026
- The night ascent of the marunnari: twelve kilometers on shoulders along the path leading to the highest peak in Campania
- The cente: votive offerings of candles, flowers, and wheat stalks carried on the head, often barefoot
- The return at dawn on August 5th, the most emotional moment of the entire festival
- The sanctuary on Mount Cervati, at nearly 1,900 meters, in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park
- Giuliano Palma in concert on August 6th in Piazza Giovanni Falcone, with free admission
Prices Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza 2026
Practical information — Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza
How to get there
By car: A2 Mediterranean Motorway, exit at Padula-Buonabitacolo, then provincial roads towards Sanza. By train: the nearest station is Sapri, on the Tyrrhenian line, from where you can continue by car or local Cilento buses.
Costs
Participation in the pilgrimage and all celebrations is free. The evening concerts organized by the Municipality are also free.
Tips for the climb
The path leading to the summit sanctuary covers over twelve kilometers with a significant elevation gain and is traveled at night: trekking boots, a headlamp, water, and a light jacket are essential, as the temperature drops at altitude even in mid-summer. Those who do not feel up to the climb can wait for the statue in the village, at the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta.
Where to stay
Sanza offers farmhouses and small accommodations; during the festival days, it is advisable to book in advance or stay in the towns of the Vallo di Diano and on the coast of the Gulf of Policastro.
Information
Municipality of Sanza, Piazza XXIV Maggio — tel. +39 0975 322536.
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Where does it take place — Our Lady of the Snows in Sanza
Chiesa Madre di Santa Maria Assunta e Santuario della Madonna della Neve sul Monte Cervati