Patronal Feast of Our Lady of the Star

Our Lady of the Star, patron saint of Armento

Armento, a small village in the province of Potenza overlooking the Val d'Agri, cherishes an ancient and profound devotion to Our Lady of the Star, its patron saint. The cult is linked to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Star, an 18th-century building located near the village and is among the main assets of the artistic and religious heritage of Armento, a land rich in history that has its roots in Magna Graecia.

The May Pilgrimage

The heart of the festival is the pilgrimage on the second Sunday of May, when the community accompanies the statue of the Virgin in procession from the village to the sanctuary. It is a moment of intense Marian devotion, marked by religious chants, liturgical celebrations, and paraliturgical moments that intertwine with civil events. The statue then remains at the sanctuary for the entire summer.

The Return in September

The festival has its second event in autumn: on the second Saturday of September, the statue returns to the village, while on September 8th, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrations are renewed. Until the mid-19th century, the pilgrimage was preceded by a livestock fair, particularly for sheep, held in the area around the church on September 6-8, a sign of an ancient link between religious devotion and the pastoral life of the territory.

Faith and Popular Tradition

The Feast of Our Lady of the Star combines the spiritual dimension with the festive one, with music, bands, convivial moments, and the typical atmosphere of Lucanian patronal feasts. For Armento, it is the most important occasion of the year, when residents and emigrants come together to renew an identity bond with their patron saint and their land.

• Pilgrimage to the sanctuary on the second Sunday of May
• Religious chants and Marian celebrations
• Return of the statue to the village in September
• Ancient tradition of the livestock fair

An authentic and intimate festival, in the heart of one of the most suggestive and lesser-known villages in Basilicata.