Thanksgiving Festival to the Madonna of the Soldier

A festival of faith and memory on the Metauro hills

In the village of Barchi, one of the hamlets of the Municipality of Terre Roveresche, in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino (Marche), the Thanksgiving Festival to the Madonna of the Soldier is a deeply felt event by the local community. It takes place every year on the day of the Ascension and has a significance that goes beyond the strictly religious dimension: it is a choral celebration dedicated to the memory of the fallen and missing from World War II.

The sanctuary of the Madonna of the Soldier

The history of the place is rooted in the post-war period. In 1948 Aldo De Santi, a veteran of the Ariete Armored Division and a driver during the conflict, erected a sacred shrine dedicated to the Madonna as a vow of thanksgiving. In 1957, a church and the outdoor Altar of Peace were built, which still hosts the ceremony today. The sanctuary houses a Tricolore stained with the blood of Italian soldiers, a symbol that inextricably links the place to the sacrifice of the soldiers.

A day between the sacred and military tradition

The festival marks the day in two moments. In the morning, the Holy Masses are celebrated and the Flag Raising ceremony takes place; in the afternoon, the procession is held, followed by the civil and military ceremony, attended by veterans' associations and Corps, the Military Platoon of the 28th "Pavia" Regiment from Pesaro, and the Bersaglieri Brass Band from Acqualagna. The festival is also colored by the performance of flag-wavers and drummers, while the distribution of blessed bread rolls, in memory of the "military loaf," renews a gesture of sharing that recalls the sobriety of life on the front lines.

Why it's worth participating

More than a spectacular event, the Festival of the Madonna of the Soldier is an opportunity to discover the soul of a small village in the Marche hinterland and its connection with the history of the twentieth century. Those who participate find an authentic atmosphere, made of solemnity and popular participation, in a quiet corner of the Province of Pesaro and Urbino that deserves to be known also for its landscapes and its historic villages.