Feast of the Madonna della Montagna di Polsi
At the Shrine of Polsi (Aspromonte), for one of the most important Marian festivals in Calabria
Religious
Festa della Madonna della Montagna di Polsi, San Luca - Regione Calabria
The Feast of Our Lady of the Mountain of Polsi takes place every year in San Luca, in the province of Reggio Calabria, in the heart of the Aspromonte National Park, and is one of the most heartfelt Marian festivities in the region.
The Shrine of Polsi in Aspromonte is the destination of a pilgrimage that has very ancient origins and generally takes place from 31 August to 2 September each year, culminating in the procession that characterises the Feast of the Madonna di Polsi (or Feast of the Madonna of the Mountain).
Between the night of 1 and 2 September, the Polsi feast includes a long vigil animated by prayers, litanies and ancient songs. At dawn, a first mass is celebrated and in the mid-morning the traditional Procession of the Madonna di Polsi, in which the statue is carried on the shoulders of the fishermen brethren from Bagnara Calabria, who in the last stretch proceed running. Finally, amid lamentations and penances, the women ask for grace by offering the Virgin their ex votos.
