Patronal Feast of the Assumption of Mary

Lungavilla and the Assumption of Mary

The Patronal Feast of the Assumption of Mary is the most cherished event in Lungavilla, a municipality in the Oltrepò Pavese region, province of Pavia. The town's parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary of the Assumption, the patroness of Lungavilla, whose feast day is on August 15th, one of the most important dates in the Marian liturgical calendar.

A Church with Ancient Roots

The Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption, with three naves and a Latin cross plan, is already mentioned in pastoral visits from the 15th century. Belonging to the Diocese of Tortona and the Padano Vicariate, it preserves the town's devotion to the Virgin of the Assumption and is the focal point of the patronal celebrations.

The Vow of 1836 and the Madonna del Colera

A particular local tradition is linked to the Assumption celebrations: on the day of the octave, August 22nd, the solemnity of the Madonna del Colera is celebrated, in fulfillment of a solemn vow made in 1836, the year the cholera epidemic severely struck these lands. A historical and devotional connection that makes the Lungavilla feast particularly rich in meaning.

Faith and Community in the Oltrepò

The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is part of the tradition of patronal feasts in the Oltrepò Pavese, where each town celebrates its patron saint or Madonna with rites, processions, and community gatherings. For Lungavilla, in the heart of summer, it is the annual occasion to come together around its patroness and renew the bond with its roots, in the province of Pavia.