Pugnaloni Festival (Festival of Our Lady of the Flower)

The Pugnaloni Festival in Acquapendente

The Pugnaloni Festival, tied to the Festival of Our Lady of the Flower, is one of the oldest and most deeply felt folk traditions in the Tuscia region. It takes place every year in Acquapendente, in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio, along the border with Umbria and Tuscany. The heart of the festival is the third Sunday of May, preceded by days of preparations, fairs, and religious celebrations.

What are the Pugnaloni?

The Pugnaloni are spectacular vertical mosaics, true large-scale paintings (approximately 2.60 meters wide by 3.60 meters high), entirely covered in flower petals, leaves, and plant materials to capture every nuance of the design. Each neighborhood group creates its own work based on a sketch inspired by the theme of freedom, often carrying strong civic and contemporary significance. The name comes from the pungolo, the ancient iron tool farmers used to clean the plow and goad oxen: the ancestors of the Pugnaloni were the very goads adorned with flowers carried in procession behind the statue of the Madonna.

Legend and History

The tradition has its roots in 1166, when the people of Acquapendente rebelled against the rule of Frederick Barbarossa's governor. According to legend, two farmers saw a withered tree miraculously bloom again, a symbol of oppression: interpreted as a sign of the protection of Our Lady of the Flower, that miracle gave courage to the people, who rose up and drove out the tyrant. Since then, the community has renewed its thanks to the Virgin every year, combining religious, civic, and artistic dimensions.

The Festival Program

The event spans a long weekend. It opens with the Mid-May Fair in the historic center and religious celebrations in the Church of Sant'Agostino, including the awards ceremony for the children's Mini Pugnaloni and the evening procession in honor of the Madonna. Saturday is dedicated to the open workshops of the groups and the evocative Pugnaloni White Night, with music, entertainment, and workshops active until dawn to witness the birth of the works.

• Exhibition of the Pugnaloni along the streets of the historic center
• Solemn sung Mass in the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre
• Historical Pageant with flag-wavers and costumed participants
• Solemn procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Flower
• Awards ceremony for the winning Pugnalone and the drawing of the Lord of Mid-May

A Heritage of Tuscia

Between popular faith, historical re-enactment, and ephemeral artistic craftsmanship, the Pugnaloni Festival represents an essential part of the identity of the Municipality of Acquapendente and the entire Tuscia region. It is a unique opportunity to discover a medieval village on the Via Francigena and admire an art form made of flowers and patience, which is reborn every year only to vanish at the end of the festival.