Sagra della Madonna della Neve

The Madonna della Neve in Raffa

In Raffa, a hamlet of Puegnago del Garda in the Brescia region's Valtènesi, August 5th is the day of the Madonna della Neve. The observance, which in Catholic tradition commemorates the miracle of the summer snowfall that inspired the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, is here linked to the church that overlooks the hillside village and bears the same name.

The church on the hill

The Church of Santa Maria della Neve stands on a hill in the old part of Raffa and dates back to 1824. Inside, it houses a precious painting by Andrea Celesti, an important Venetian painter who worked extensively around Lake Garda, making it a small treasure chest of art as well as the focal point of local devotion.

The solemn procession

The central moment of the festival is the solemn procession which, during the first week of August and particularly on the 5th, winds through the hamlet and reaches the Church of the Madonna della Neve. It is an ancient and well-attended rite, which the community of Raffa renews every year, gathering around their patron saint.

Identity of a hamlet

Raffa was only united with Puegnago in 1928, and the Madonna della Neve festival preserves the character of a tradition unique to the hamlet, jealously guarded by its inhabitants. Experiencing this sagra (festival) means discovering an authentic and intimate corner of the Valtènesi, in Lombardy, where faith and local history intertwine amidst the gentle landscape of the Garda hills.