Patronal Feast of the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Trompone

A tradition spanning over four centuries

The Patronal Feast of the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Trompone is one of the most deeply rooted religious events in the Municipality of Moncrivello, a small village in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont. Every year, on the Sunday following Easter, the shrine becomes the focal point of five days of celebrations that attract pilgrims from the surrounding area, nestled among the hills that mark the border with the Canavese region.

The 1562 apparition

The festival finds its roots in an event from 1562: it is said that on the first Sunday after Easter that year, the Virgin Mary appeared to Domenica Millianotto, a sickly, hunched woman from Cigliano, who received a miraculous healing on that very spot. Since then, the shrine has been a destination for Marian pilgrimages and a guardian of a popular devotion passed down through generations. The Blessed Virgin of Trompone is also venerated under the title of the Powerful Virgin.

Five days of celebrations

The program opens with a three-day preparatory triduum, animated in turn by the various local parish communities, and culminates on the Sunday of the feast—the main day marked by Eucharistic celebrations, the recitation of the Rosary, and a solemn Mass presided over by the Archbishop of Vercelli. The traditional procession is a highlight, starting from neighboring towns and reaching the shrine, accompanied by the singing of local choirs.

A place of faith and hospitality

The Trompone Shrine is located in the Trompone area, at the gates of Moncrivello, and is currently managed by the Silent Workers of the Cross, a congregation founded on the spiritual legacy of Monsignor Luigi Novarese, an apostle for the world of suffering. Adjacent to the shrine are a nursing home and hospitality facilities, making it a reference point for the sick and for those seeking a moment of rest and prayer. During the festival, the adjacent park with its Lourdes grotto becomes the setting for a suggestive evening candlelight procession.

A gathering for the local community

More than just a tourist event, the Trompone Patronal Feast is a meeting point for the communities of Moncrivello, Cigliano, Villareggia, Borgo d'Ale, and other towns in the Vercelli and Canavese areas. For those visiting the region in spring, it offers an authentic opportunity to discover Piedmontese popular spirituality and the history of a sanctuary that has welcomed pilgrims for over four hundred years.