Wallfahrt Heilige Drei Brunnen Pilgrimage (Trafoi)

A centuries-old pilgrimage at the foot of the Ortler

The Wallfahrt Heilige Drei Brunnen — the pilgrimage to the Three Holy Springs — is one of the most deeply rooted religious traditions in the Vinschgau Valley. It takes place every year on Whit Monday in Trafoi, a village in the municipality of Stelvio/Stilfs, in South Tyrol. The sanctuary stands at an altitude of approximately 1,600 meters, in a wooded basin crossed by streams and waterfalls descending from the Ortler glaciers, within the Stelvio National Park.

The legend of the three springs

According to tradition, in the Middle Ages, a shepherd saw three small springs gushing from the rock, each carrying a cross. The site soon became a destination for Marian pilgrimage: a chapel already stood there in the 15th century, while the current complex — featuring the main church, the small chapel of the Madonna, and the spring of the three waters believed to be miraculous — was rebuilt in the early 18th century. Popular devotion attributes healing virtues for both spirit and body to the waters of the three fountains, as evidenced by the votive offerings preserved in the sanctuary.

The day of the pilgrimage

The heart of the festival is the procession during which, on the morning of Whit Monday, the image of the Madonna is transferred from the parish church of Trafoi to the Three Holy Springs sanctuary. The statue remains at the sanctuary throughout the summer season until the last Sunday of September, when it is returned to the village. The procession is followed by a solemn Mass, accompanied by prayer and music.

• Departure of the procession from the parish church of Trafoi with the image of the Madonna
• Ascent to the Three Holy Springs sanctuary through the woods
• Solemn Mass at the sanctuary
• Blessings and moments of reflection

Faith, identity, and memory

The pilgrimage sees the participation of the Schützen companies from the Vinschgau Valley and neighboring Tyrolean territories, who accompany the day with their traditional costumes and the blessing of their banners and crosses. Alongside the devotional dimension, the Wallfahrt also preserves the memory of the victims of mountain wars in a territory marked by the Alpine front. Thus, a small village sanctuary becomes a meeting point between Marian devotion, South Tyrolean identity, and high-altitude landscape.

A place of grace and nature

Reaching the Three Holy Springs also means immersing yourself in one of the most evocative corners of the Ortler area: the sanctuary is a destination for hikes along a path that starts from Trafoi and leads into the woods, with views of the glacial peaks. For the faithful and visitors, Whit Monday represents an opportunity to experience both the spiritual and natural dimensions of this place of grace in the municipality of Stelvio.