Matera 2019

There is a tradition at the Madonna del Pollino Sanctuary in San Severino: walk three times around the temple, on the summit of a cliff, before entering the church on your knees. In the past, the faithful also used to beat their chest, cross the nearby river barefoot as a symbol of purification, touch a holy image with flowers gathered in the woods, or organise nightly wakes.

Even if they are less frequent today, these small gestures of popular cult represent the strong Marian faith in the area. The “In cammino con Maria” (Walking with Mary) project, a route with three stages that winds through landscapes and artistic beauty, was developed in the name of this devotion in the province of Potenza. The stages? Terranova di Pollino, San Severino and Episcopia. The three municipalities, united by the cult of the figure of Mary, invite inhabitants and visitors to go on a walk with the aim of discovering the beauty of the places and the peace of the area. The event is programmed to be carried out on three days during August - a month that is particularly dear to the Marian cult - and the celebrations will be dedicated in particular to the Madonna of Pollino and the Madonna of Piano.

Co-produced by

Municipalities of Terranova di Pollino | San Severino Lucano | Episcopia

for Capital for one day