Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Feast of Mount Carmel

The Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Mount Carmel, July 16th or the third Sunday of the month) is one of the most important events at the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Frassino in Oneta, in the province of Bergamo. It is considered the most solemn liturgical expression of the sanctuary, a moment when Marian devotion in the Val del Riso reaches its peak.

The Procession and the Auction

On the day of the feast, the statue of the Madonna is carried in procession in the large square of the sanctuary, accompanied by a religious march performed by the brass band. Among the most characteristic moments is the 'incanto della Madonna' (Madonna auction): a charity auction whose proceeds go to the church's needs, an ancient tradition that combines devotion and community generosity.

The Confraternity of Mount Carmel

The feast is linked to the Confraternity of Mount Carmel, founded in Oneta in 1637, which has preserved and passed down devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel for almost four centuries. The solemnity is the occasion when the town and the faithful of the valley gather at the sanctuary, renewing a deeply rooted cult among the Orobic mountains of Bergamo.