Patronal Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

The patronal feast of Verduno

Every year, Verduno, a small village of just under 600 inhabitants in the Province of Cuneo, celebrates its patronal feast dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The event falls on September 8th, the liturgical day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the birth of Mary, and coincides with the dedication of the village's parish church, which is named after the Nativity of the Most Holy Mary.

A sentinel of the Langhe

Nicknamed the "sentinel of the Langhe," Verduno stands at an altitude of 381 meters atop a rolling landscape of vineyards and woods, with its bell tower rising above the ridge of the hill. The village is immersed in the UNESCO World Heritage wine landscape of the Barolo Langhe, just a few kilometers from La Morra, Barolo, and Monforte d'Alba. Here, in the 19th century, thanks to the castle purchased by King Carlo Alberto and the work of the oenologist Staglieno, one of the first bottles of Barolo in history was produced. Verduno is also the only territory where the rare Pelaverga Piccolo is grown, a native red grape variety rediscovered in the 1970s.

Religion, community, and tradition

The patronal feast is, first and foremost, an appointment of faith and community. The heart of the celebrations is the parish church, a Baroque-style building influenced by the school of Filippo Juvarra, the same architect who designed the village castle. As is tradition in Piedmontese villages, the religious services are accompanied by a local festival featuring social moments, meetings, and opportunities to reconnect.

Among the Barolo hills

Experiencing the patronal feast of Verduno also means discovering an authentic corner of Piedmont. The Belvedere Park offers a wide-open window onto the Barolo Langhe, while the Ricetto, a typical Piedmontese fortified structure with walled houses and towers, tells the story of the village's agricultural and defensive past. September 8th is the ideal occasion to combine the spiritual and communal dimension of the festival with a visit to one of the most evocative villages in the Langhe.