Patronal Feast of the Madonna del Pozzo and Saint Roch

A devotion spanning over three centuries

The Feast of the Madonna del Pozzo and Saint Roch is the oldest and most beloved patronal festival in Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, a small village in the Monti Dauni on the far western edge of the Province of Foggia, bordering Puglia, Campania, and Basilicata. Its origins date back to 1709, when—according to tradition—the Madonna gifted water from a spring to a poor local farmer, Giuseppe Mastrostefano, in the Serralonga area. The miracle was followed by numerous healings, and Bishop Giambattista La Morea authorized the construction of a chapel on the site of the apparition, which is now a sanctuary visited by pilgrims.

The four days of the festival

For centuries, the festival has followed the same calendar, tied to the anniversary of the miracle on August 24, 1709:

• August 15 — On the day of the Assumption, the community climbs to the sanctuary to bring the 18th-century statue of the Madonna back to the village, carried on shoulders along an ancient trail of about three kilometers. At the village entrance, the most emotional moment occurs: the encounter between the Madonna del Pozzo and Saint Roch, the co-patron.
• August 24 — Morning fireworks and mass, followed by the traditional fair along the central streets, the solemn afternoon mass, and the procession in honor of the Madonna del Pozzo, followed by fireworks and shows.
• August 25 — More fireworks and mass, the afternoon procession with both statues, and in the evening, the concert and brass band gathering, with pyrotechnic displays.
• August 26 — At dawn, the community accompanies the statue back to the sanctuary for a moving farewell; the evening concludes in style with the grand final concert in Piazza Aldo Moro and midnight fireworks.

The sanctuary and the trail procession

The sanctuary of the Madonna del Pozzo stands in the open countryside, in the Serralonga district, just over three kilometers from the village, along the road connecting Rocchetta to Lacedonia. The shoulder-borne procession along the trail, once lit by candles and carbide lamps with stubble fires accompanying the path, remains one of the most evocative rites of the Daunian Sub-Apennines. The polychrome wooden sculpture, of 18th-century craftsmanship, has survived fires and restorations (1907, 1931, 1989) without ever losing its central role in the village's life.

Music, bands, and shows in the square

Alongside religious rites, the patronal feast has always been a major entertainment event. Brass band gatherings attract hundreds of musicians, while in recent years the final evenings in Piazza Aldo Moro have hosted top names from the Italian music scene as part of the municipality's summer festival, the Rocchetta Music Fest, supported by PNRR funds for villages and the Ministry of Culture.

Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, a village of the Monti Dauni

An Orange Flag holder of the Touring Club, Rocchetta Sant'Antonio is a charming village dominated by its ducal castle. For those visiting inland Puglia, the feast of the Madonna del Pozzo is the perfect opportunity to discover an authentic territory, far from the most beaten tourist paths, where religious tradition, music, and village conviviality blend into one great August celebration.