Procession of St. Michael - Maranola

Every year-usually on the first Sunday after June 13-tradition dictates that the statue of St. Michael is carried on the shoulders of the faithful from the medieval village of Maranola to the hermitage, where it remains throughout the summer to return to the village at the end of September. The procession, greatly felt and awaited by the people of Maranola, is always accompanied by folk songs and the sound of bagpipes and ciaramelle, traditional musical instruments. At the end of the pilgrimage, Holy Mass is celebrated in the courtyard in front of the hermitage and St. Michael's blessed bread, made from dark whole wheat flour, and curd, offered by local shepherds in honor of the saint, are distributed to the pilgrims.