Procession of Maria Santissima del Bosco (Easter Tuesday)

The patronal festival of Spinazzola

Every Easter Tuesday, the town of Spinazzola, in the Alta Murgia area of the Barletta-Andria-Trani province (Puglia), gathers around its patron saint, Maria Santissima del Bosco. It is one of the most defining days of the year for the local community: the town accompanies the sacred icon on a long journey from the countryside Sanctuary to the town center, where the image will remain to bless the city throughout the summer period.

The tradition of the Madonna del Bosco

The cult is linked to an ancient Marian icon which, according to tradition, was found inside a tree trunk: hence the name Madonna del Bosco (Our Lady of the Woods). The Sanctuary that houses it stands in the Spinazzola countryside, originally built between the 16th and 17th centuries on land donated by the Dukes of Calabritto and rebuilt in its current form between 1970 and 1971. From this Sanctuary, on Easter Tuesday, the image is carried in procession to the Mother Church of San Pietro Apostolo.

A day of devotion and tradition

The festival begins at dawn with fireworks and the parade of the Gran Complesso Bandistico Città di Spinazzola through the streets. In the late morning, the solemn Holy Mass at the Sanctuary, presided over by the diocesan Bishop, precedes the evocative ceremony of the awarding of the historic Mantle of the Virgin, an honor reserved for those who will closely accompany the icon along its path. The procession then sets off, leading the Madonna back to the city through the countryside.

Sacred music and the Cavalcata

At nightfall, after the Mass in the Mother Church, the San Pietro Apostolo parish choir pays homage to the Virgin with the hymn "Nome dolcissimo". The day concludes with a fireworks display that evokes the ancient Cavalcata, the traditional horseback parade that once escorted the icon: a spectacular finale that combines popular faith, brass music, fireworks, and historical memory in a typically Apulian setting.

A landmark event for the BAT province

For Spinazzola, the Easter Tuesday festival is much more than a religious recurrence: it is the moment when the community, together with returning emigrants and visitors from neighboring Alta Murgia towns, rediscovers its roots. The event, which is free and held outdoors, is organized by the Spinazzola Patronal Festival Committee.