Procession of the Madonna dei Pastori

A sunset procession in the heart of the Gran Sasso

Every year on September 8th, the village of Castel del Monte, located in the province of L'Aquila within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, celebrates the Procession of the Madonna dei Pastori. It is the town's most heartfelt devotional event, a rite that takes place at dusk, weaving together Marian faith and the memory of Abruzzo's pastoral civilization. The statue of the Virgin, depicted in a black dress with a gold-embroidered mantle, is carried on shoulders through the narrow, cobblestone alleys of the old town in a moving and intimate atmosphere.

The link to transhumance

Devotion to the Madonna dei Pastori is rooted in the practice of transhumance, the great seasonal migration of flocks that descended from the pastures of Campo Imperatore toward the Daunia and Tavoliere delle Puglie regions, traveling along the Regio Tratturo, the ancient "sheep highway." Before embarking on the long journey south, the shepherds of Castel del Monte entrusted their flocks and families to the Virgin's protection: the September 8th festival symbolically marked this moment of departure and prayer.

The Confraternity of Shepherds

At the heart of the tradition is the historic Confraternity of Shepherds, formed by the village's livestock farmers, who over the centuries built and guarded the church dedicated to the Madonna. The association—linked to the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio, known as Madonna dei Pastori—even established landholdings in Puglia to finance the sanctuary's maintenance. The association's statutes, handed down from generation to generation, have withstood the changes of modernity, keeping a strong, identity-defining community bond alive.

The route and the rites

The procession begins at the Church of San Donato in the center of the village and concludes at the Church of the Madonna dei Pastori, located just outside the town. Along the way, bearers take turns carrying the statue through the narrow alleys, while the doors and windows of the houses are left open so that the Madonna's blessing may enter the homes. In the past, lighting was provided by small lamps placed on windowsills, and today, candles, hymns, and the village's natural scenery still make the moment particularly evocative.

Castel del Monte, the capital of shepherds

Perched at an altitude of over 1,300 meters on the Gran Sasso plateau, Castel del Monte is known as the "capital of shepherds" in Abruzzo. Its labyrinth of alleys, underpasses, and stairways makes it one of the most fascinating villages in the region, often chosen as a film set. The Procession of the Madonna dei Pastori remains the occasion when the village rediscovers its deepest soul, celebrating both religious devotion and the millennial culture of transhumance in the Abruzzo Apennines.