Solemnity of the Holy Face and Municipality Festival

Tagliacozzo's signature festival

The Solemnity of the Holy Face and Municipality Festival is the most cherished event in the calendar of Tagliacozzo, an elegant village in the Marsica region of the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. Celebrated on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Sunday after Easter), the festival weaves together religious devotion and civic identity, uniting the community around the venerated Effigy of the Holy Face. It is more than just a liturgical recurrence: it is the Festival of the Municipality, an occasion where the City renews its sense of belonging and bestows civic honors upon its most deserving citizens.

The Holy Face painting

At the heart of the celebration is an ancient canvas depicting the Holy Face of Christ, the image imprinted on Veronica's veil. According to tradition, a prince of the House of Colonna, Duke of Tagliacozzo, gifted the image to the community between the 17th and 18th centuries; the inscription on the back claims the canvas touched the Most Sacred Holy Face kept in Rome. The painting is carefully preserved year-round by the Benedictine nuns in the local monastery and is displayed to the faithful only on this special occasion.

Two days of celebrations

The festival unfolds over two days filled with solemn moments:

• Saturday: The sound of the churches' sacred bells opens the celebrations, while an extraordinary City Council meeting is held at the Town Hall to confer civic honors. In the afternoon, the solemn handover of the Effigy from the Benedictine nuns to the mayor takes place at the Mother Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano, followed by a Pontifical Mass and an institutional concert at the Teatro Talia.
• Sunday: A musical parade by the town band, a Solemn Pontifical Mass, and the evocative procession in Piazza dell'Obelisco, where the celebrant imparts a blessing by showing the Holy Face to the crowd. In the late afternoon, the final veneration and the return of the painting to the monastery.

Piazza dell'Obelisco and the atmosphere

The most moving moment occurs in the scenic Piazza dell'Obelisco, the monumental heart of Tagliacozzo, where the blessing with the Effigy draws thousands of the faithful. During the ceremony, by tradition, the water jets of the square's fountain accompany the blessing, in a blend of faith, history, and community that makes this Marsican festival unique.

A heritage to experience

Attended by prominent civil, military, and religious authorities, the Solemnity of the Holy Face represents a privileged moment to discover Tagliacozzo, its historic center, and the richness of Abruzzese traditions. An event that, beyond its spiritual dimension, enhances the identity and collective memory of the Municipality.